Chapter 19: Side Effect

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The next day everyone met back up at my house around noon. We were all crowded in the kitchen making brunch. Grace was making the pancakes, Taylor was on the eggs while Ashton was babysitting the oven checking on some biscuits. Collin and I were the only ones lazily sitting at the island letting them spoil us. The only sound in the kitchen was the murmur of conversations they carried while I let my face rest on the counter. Collin was scrolling on his phone with his sweatshirt's hood pulled over his head.

"You okay?" Ashton asks me just as I clutched my stomach. A sharp pain shot through me out of nowhere causing my entire body to double over.

"Yeah." I struggled to say as I stood to my feet still holding my belly. It began to feel like it was burning.
"I'm gonna go to the bathroom." I told them since everyone was looking at me like I was crazy now. They all stopped what they were doing. I began to feel dizzy and the burning in my stomach got worse as I walked toward the door.

"I'll walk you, you don't look so good Ariel." Grace commented worriedly while wiping her hands with a towel. She and Taylor slowly linked arms with mine and before we could even get to the kitchen door Ashton and Collin were right behind us.

It felt like we couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough. I began groaning as the burning increased and my body began aching with pain.
"Ariel oh my goodness your neck is bleeding!"
Grace exclaimed from the side of me. I didn't even have the strength to check what part of my neck was bleeding but I had an idea. The same spot where Kale marked me was burning and it felt like an opened wound now. It had to be bleeding because I felt it.

How could it be bleeding though? It's not like I was scratching it or anything anything and it pretty much healed the same day he marked me. Grace's question made all of my friends stare at my neck which slowed down our walk so I groaned loudly not even able to utter a word. I pulled my arms apart from theirs and kicked the bathroom door open. I ran in and lifted the toilet seat throwing up nothing but water. I haven't eating anything today so it was all that came up. Throwing up didn't help though, The sharp pain and the ache still resided deep in my belly.

"Ariel breath in and out!" I heard Taylor telling me as she stood behind me. I tried to listen but my breathing was cut away by my loud groaning. I was still leaning over the toilet hoping more would come out. "It hurts so bad!" I cried. I've never experienced anything like this in my life.

"Ariel Ashton's coming in okay?" Grace announced from behind me. Seconds later i felt a pair of warm strong hands on my back. "Breath Ariel, please just breath, you'll be alright."

My vision began to get burry and i began to see black and white blotches around the toilet. My eyes started to play tricks on me. The voices behind me were getting blurred out and raspy, It all sounded like static now. Suddenly i felt Ashton picking me up. It made the stinging in my body get even worse. He was whispering calming words to me like just breath, and 'don't worry I got you' but I continued to heavily breathe and groan in pain. I felt like I was dying, my body was so small that I felt like couldn't handle too much of this pain. Once we made it to my room Ashton gently places me on my bed. "Just relax your body Ariel, you have to try." He tells me. I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he hovered over me. He looked shocked while trying to stay calm and keeping me calm. My chest continued to rise and fall so he gently took hold of my hand and laced our fingers together while looking into my eyes. My eyes shifted to side when Taylor appeared next to him with a cloth in her hand, she reached forward to place it on my forehead. "This will cool you off, your burning up." I nodded and closed my eyes as the cool towel made my body flinch in reaction to the cold.

Breathe in, breathe out I told myself in my head. Maybe this was a reaction to being away from Kale and Kingsley? It was so unfortunate that I was so out of the loop with this mate stuff that I had no idea that if it had anything to do with my body right now.

My friends clearly didn't know how to help either and seeing them crowding around my bed and laying next to me with concern all over their faces, I knew they wanted to help but no one knew what to do.
The longer we all sat in silence the more the pain began to be  manageable. I couldn't even describe how it felt, maybe it was a feeling of being stabbed in your stomach repeatedly while your body felt like it was inside of the oven? Yeah explaining that to my friends would probably only get me crazy eyes from them.

"Wow, what the hell was that." I breathed out as the pain continued to die down. Ashton who was sitting in front of me released a deep breath once he heard me speak. "Do you feel better now?" His sad eyes searched my face while he took the towel from my head and gently swiped the left over bits of water with the palm of his hand. I nodded at him and reached for his hand again, letting mine rest in his.
"You know, maybe I will take you up on your offer and sleep in your bed after all." Taylor says from beside me. Her and Grace were laying in the bed with me while Collin sat at the end where my legs were. He was smiling, the mood in the room made a 360 once I made it known that I was okay. I was grateful that Taylor made a joke during this awkward moment. I almost started to feel like the helpless friend who couldn't do anything without them. I tried to erase the thought from my head though.

"I'd love to never sleep alone again, so please i'd love it." I told her and she laughed, momentarily hugging my arm. A vibrating sounding started to come from the little table next to my bed. Ashton reaches for it and handed it to me. It was my phone.

"It's Eleanor!" I Jumped up, my fingers were struggling to press the answer button as I fidgeted to answer the phone. "Eleanor." I breathed into the phone while standing in front of the bed, my friends all watched me panic as I answered.

"Ariel, You have to come quick! Something terrible has happened! I bought a plane ticket for you, It's an emergency!" Eleanor sounded scared out of her mind as her voice poured breathlessly into the phone. As if my heart wasn't already pounding my nerves were all over the place thinking of the millions of things that could be wrong.

"Eleanor tell me what's going on? Why do I need to come to Canada?" I yelled into the phone.

"Just get to the airport Ariel, trust me okay? As soon as you arrive at theCanadian airport a driver will be outside waiting for you.  I'll tell you everything when you get here."

My eyes were wide as I looked at my friends trying to process everything Eleanor just said to me.
"Ariel do you Hear me?" She panicked.

"Yes." I quickly answered. The phone line Suddenly went dead. I removed the phone from my ear and stared at my phone in shock.

"What happened what's going on?" Ashton asked as I looked at all of them. Taylor crawled across the bed so that she was next to Ashton.

"Eleanor said to fly to Canada immediately, she said something terrible has happened. I have to hurry...I have to go." I began to panic. "I need you to drive me to the airport I need to get to her." I talked with my hands while getting close to Ashton and he quickly stands to his feet while nodding.

"Okay." Ashton grabbed his keys and everyone stood to there feet to follow us out. "What else did she say Ariel? That sounded like a scary phone call?" Taylor asks from behind me as we all quickly walked out of my room and headed for the stairs. I glanced back at her as we walked. "She didn't say, she only said something bad happened and that I need to come there." I fidgeted with my fingers while walking down the last step. What could have possibly happened that I needed to be there?

As we walked to the door I turned around again.
"What are you guys gonna tell your parents? That your taking a trip to Canada with your friends for a few days?" I asked them.

"Where 18." Taylor scoffed. "We are fine." She assured me and grabbed my hand as we all walked out of the house. We quickly piled into Ashton's truck and he sped off. I sat in the front with him while everyone else sat in the back in silence. My foot began to tap on the floor as I stared out the window thinking of my sister. We haven't talked for months and then she calls me out of the blue telling me I need to come there? It must have been important because I don't think she would ever involve me unless it was. I know Kingsley and Kale wanted to keep me away from Canada to live a normal life but now I was going and I had no idea for how long.

"Where gonna take a private plane." Ashton's gentle hand on mine took me out of my thoughts. "How?" I questioned. With one hand on the steering wheel he glanced at me. "I know a guy, it will be faster anyway and I know you need to go help your sister." Ashton and his family were wealthy so I had no doubts that he 'knew a guy.' I nod. "Thank you Ashton." He gives my hand a light squeeze and turns his attention back to the road.

The drive to the private plane was short. We got there in less then an hour. It was near a barn, a few feet away from the barn was a long cemented open space with a huge plane just waiting for us. When we exited the truck a man nodded at Ashton and we continued to walk towards the plane.

The pilot explained everything about safety and precautions as soon as we settled in. The inside was nice and spacious with dark blue seats, flats screens over the seats and tables with mini fridges underneath. When the pilot finished talked he left behind a curtain and left us to our own devices.

"Everything's gonna be fine trust me." Ashton gave my hand a light squeeze and I sighed. Hopefully he was right. We settled into the plane getting comfortable. When it was time for take off Grace and Taylor were already in the back room sound asleep. Collin was in the room too and they were all piled into the big bed.

"Guess it's just me and you." I announced walking back from the room and joining Ashton in the main room plopping down right next to him in one of the seats. I buckled myself in and rested my head on his shoulder.

"GOOD AFTERNOON PASSENGERS." The pilots voice boomed into the plane making me jump. "WE ARE PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE SEATED AND BUCKLED IN. THANK YOU."

Before I knew it was night and I realized I was starring out of the window this entire time in anticipation of arriving in Canada. The pilot's woke the plane as he announced that we will be landing in about five minutes. Since Ashton was sound asleep I went to peek into the bedroom, pulling the blue curtain back I saw Collin leaning over Grace, He was making her laugh by kissing her face.

"Please stop that I don't wanna hear anymore!" Taylor yells from the floor on the other side of the bed. I couldn't help but shake my head because earlier they were all in the bed sound asleep together, I guess Collin and Grace scared Taylor away.

"Great you guys are up, we are  about to land" my voice makes them look in my direction. Taylor quickly flipped the blanket away from her face and jumped up from the floor. "Ariel good, Please save me from these freaks!" Taylor hugged me and I laughed while she pulled me out of the room.

We all gathered ourselves  for our departure from the plane. We were now at the Canadian airport.
The pilot appears from the cockpit and opens the plane for us to walk out. "I hope you all enjoyed your flight." He smiles at us while we walked pass him to exit the plane.

"So what's next?" Ashton asked me. We were headed toward the airport. The bright lights inside exposed the many people waking around. My eyes scanned around as we walked towards the entrance.
"I don't know." I admitted honestly. "She just said to come here and a man-." I stared off into the distance at a sign a man was holding in the air.
"I guess we go to him." I pointed and my friends all looked. The sign said my name in bold letters. He was wearing the exact attire that drivers wear. He reminded me so much of Mr. Ben.

I felt a tug on my heart thinking of him and Ava. They disappeared too. We approached the man who didn't even notice us yet. I walked right to him and extended my hand. "Hi, I'm Ariel." I held out my hand but then I gasped. "Ben!"

"Ms. Ariel." He smiles, pitting the sign down. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he laughed while gently patting my back. "It's you! How is it you? Where did you go?"

Mr. Ben shook his head. "There's a lot you that you need to know about that day honey, right now let's just get you to your sister." He motions to his black car. My friends quietly watched all this go down I guess because they didn't know Ben.

We followed Mr. Ben to his black car and we piled in. I wanted to ask him so many questions about what happened but I knew it had to wait.

Everyone stayed quiet as we waited to arrive at Eleanor's house. Since it was night there was Minimal traffic so we go off the highway quickly.
I was in a daze as we drove in the dark car. Lost in my mind again it felt like everyone was in Canada these days. My interest peeked as we pulled into a neighborhood.

"This is it." Mr. Ben announced. I looked up and we were in a suburban area with nice houses and what not. The house we were in front of had yellow tape around it, people with special suits were walking in and out of it and there were cars parked everywhere.

"What happened here?" I asked the question that everyone else was dying to ask. Mr. Ben didn't answer me, instead he opened the door for us. We all exited  the car and that's when I saw her standing with a lady who was writing something in a notepad. She was hugging her body and crying, she was wearing leggings and a pull over sweater. Her eyes looked devastated, lost even.

When she saw me she paused. I raced over to her, ignoring a few people who were telling me that this home was off limits. With no words exchanged we rushed into a hug. I held her tightly feeling her shaking uncontrollably. She was crying.

"Oh Eleanor." I whispered soothingly while rubbing her back. "What happened?" I pulled back to look at her face. She led me into the house where there were more people in here taking pictures of blood spatters on the wall and broken furniture and glass everywhere from mirrors. Something terrible happened that was obvious. I began breathing heavily as we neared the stairs. She sniffled more and more as we got closer and closer to a bedroom. There were more people up here. Taking pictures and placing items inside plastic bags. Eleanor walked to a specific room and kicked the bedroom door opened and flinched looking away. My chest rose and fell as I slowly walked into the room and saw a man sprawled out on the bed. His stomach was wripped open,you could see his ribs, his eyes were rolled to the back of his head as if he was in shock before he died or something. His mouth was wide open as well, as if he was screaming.

As much as I felt like screaming in fear and puking from the sight I took a deep breath and walked out to Eleanor. She didn't look at me, instead she stared at the floor. "They killed him."

"Who?" I quickly ask. She says nothing while looking at me again. "Who  is 'they' Eleanor?" I began feeling queasy as the images of her boyfriends dead body stayed in the forefront of my mind.

She wiped her tears while breathing in and out.
"The catchers Ariel, he was just like you. He was an earth being and they found him."

My heart began beating very fast. Catchers? Earth being? Me? What? "What are you talking about? What do you mean he was just like me?"

Eleanor shakes her head and sniffles. "I already said too much, we have to hurry and go." She quickly turns for the stairs and I follow in pure fear and confusion. what did she mean by Dylan was just like me? What the hell is a earth being? Who are the catchers?

"You do know why I called you here right?" She says while walking in front of me. I hurry to get next to her as we hit the first floor. She was walking so fast and she was so distraught she probably didn't even realize that she was hitting me with information I had not one clue about.

"They are after you now, and your people here will protect you. You have to under the protection of the pack." My jaw drops at her words. Kingsley was the only person I knew that had a pack here. But who was after me? And why? I haven't done anything wrong. Before I could bombard her with the questions brewing in my mind Eleanor's cell phone began ringing and she answered it quickly.
"Right now?" I heard her say. She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Okay." She said and hung up.

"We have to go." She headed for the front door in a hurry. "Go where?" I asked following her out of the kitchen. She didn't answer me. She exchanged a few words with a woman who looked like she could be a detective and then headed out of the door. Grace and Taylor were by the truck  but Collin and Ashton were gone. "Hey where are the boys?" I asked them while looking around.

"Ashton said he'll meet us their." Taylor shrugged looking at me. "Wherever their is." I stared at her growing a little worried, Eleanor and Ashton did not know each other so how would he know where to go?
"Come on girls we gottta go." Said Eleanor. She was talking to Ben but now was getting into the car so we followed.

We were on the road for about 20 minutes of silence before I started to feel feel nauseous all of a sudden. I did not want to throw up in the car. "Mr. Ben please pull over." I yelled out.

We were driving down a long dark road with nothing but grass and trees left and right. I can admit it looked a little scary but I did not want to throw up in his car. Ben turned the radio down to hear me better.

"Please pull over!" I yelled again as Grace put her hand on my back to help me from falling. Ben quickly pulled the car to the side of the road. Grace and Taylor helped me out of the car and I fell over clutching my stomach and puking in the grass.
When I was finished I was dizzy. Eleanor crouched down in from me and rubbed my back.
"You alright Ariel?" She asks me.

I couldn't focus on answering her question because I  heard a snapping noise behind us, we all heard it so Grace and Taylor quickly stood to their feet to look around. Eleanor blocked me off and she looked around too, just as I looked into the woods a pair a glowing red eyes met mine and then came closer making a peircing loud scream leave my lips. I scrambled backwards while on my hands and knees as a big read growling figure knocked right into Eleanor making her fly to the left. The figure ran toward Taylor and Grace and I screamed again feeling so paralyzed with fear that it was all I could do. My eyes almost felt like they were going pop out of their sockets as Taylor and Grace were no longer standing there, but in their place stood two werewolves. My hands slid against the car as I watched the two wolves fight the red wolf. Growling
and snarling echoed around me and I just couldn't react. They looked just like how Kingsley looked but they were smaller and grey. Two more wolves pounced onto the the two little grey wolfs just as the red wolf bit one of the grey wolfs. Seeing that made my body began to move and I turned my head to look into the car for Mr. Ben but he was gone. My breathing was ragged and my chest

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