The Mermaids' Pearl: Semi-Sequel to Emmett's Jeanie

Chapter 17

Jeanie's POV:

I was sitting across from Maddy at the island table at the main house. Emmett and Quill were out back keeping Gemma and Claire entertained while we stayed inside to talk in what little privacy we had. I could tell as soon as they got here that Maddy had found her pearl and it didn't go the way it should have as the light that she usually had in her eyes was dimmed and her smile was lacking greatly. 

"Maddy, who was it?" (J)

I watched as she shook her head and looked away from me, and outside the window at the surrounding trees. She wrapped her arms around herself without seeming to realize she was doing it, as if her body was trying to hold itself together even when it only wanted to fall apart. I reached across the table and took one of her hands away from her body and held it tightly in my own for a moment before she looked back at me. 

"I cannot help you if I do not know who it is Maddy. Please, trust me." (J)

I watched as looked down at the table for a moment before pulling the small notebook I had already summoned from Sam and Emily's place when she returned home. I let go of her hand as she wrote down the name in the notebook, a single tear falling down her cheek as she did, before she passed it to me. I saw the name I feared it would be, Seth.

I knew instantly what must have occurred. Everyone had tried warning Seth that it wouldn't work between him and Laurissa because everyone had an imprint, mate, person, pearl, whatever the title may be out there. He was adamant that it would work because he would only ever be breaking his own heart by denying his imprint if he ever found her.

We tried to tell him that he was wrong. But he never listened to us, not even to Leah who had tried multiple times to get it through his head. Boy was Leah going to have a bitch fit when she found out about all of this. I sure as hell wasn't going to be the one tell her though, that would be a job for Gio so he could also be the one to try and calm her down some.

"Maddy I........I want to tell you that everything will work out but we both know that we don't know that for sure. I can say he would be a fool to hurt both of you this way by staying with someone that is not his imprint." (J)

I watched as more tears started to fall from her eyes and she nodded, knowing I was right. I saw her flinch in on herself and I saw a silent scream leave her mouth. It could only mean that Seth was kissing Laurissa, or perhaps more, and now that Maddy had met him each kiss or show of love would feel as if someone was crushing her heart.

Maddy stood to leave the room, but only made it to the door before she fell down to her knees. Another silent scream leaving her mouth as I rushed over to her. I took her into my arms, her tears falling onto my shoulder as she clung to me. I ran my hand through her hair as I hummed to her and the tears continued to fall. I felt her body tense and knew that another scream was leaving her. I finally felt her collapse against me and I knew she had passed out, yet unused to the pain that I felt she would grow accustomed to if he kept denying the imprint.

It was a pain that I had to watch her aunt go through for weeks as she grew more and more able to withstand it. Though a kiss between her pearl and his chosen beloved never failed to draw a silent scream from her lips, she grew able to withstand it without loosing consciousness. It wasn't something I wanted Maddy to grow used to though, and I grew very pissed off at Seth because of it.

I snapped my fingers and she was in bed with me tucking a blanket around her, tears still falling from her closed eyes. I walked out of the room, before asking Esme to keep an ear out for her and call me when she woke back up. I was even more grateful to my mother-in law when she quickly agreed. I took a deep breath as different plans to kill that stupid wolf ran through my mind even though I knew I could never do it. It was against my own council's rules as he hadn't done anything wrong to me or my family directly, and it would not go over well the pack either. 

Though I'm sure that Leah will damn sure try to kill him when she finds out. I doubt Sam is very pleased with Seth's decisions at the moment either. He knows only too well how important accepting the imprint bond is. I looked out the window of the upstairs hall window to see Emmett and Quill getting along fantastically as they entertained the girls. 

"I'm going to Emily's to talk to her for a bit. I'll be back before dinner." (J)

I saw Emmett look up and nod at me through the window, and I smiled as he winked at me. I felt a small laugh leave my mouth as I turned away from the window. I would admit that his being a vampire did save me from a lot of yelling when we were in different parts of the house. I snapped my fingers as I closed my eyes, before opening them, having appeared in Sam and Emily's kitchen. 

 I looked at the table only to see Paul and Jared staring at me with mild surprise, both of them frozen in mid-bite of one of Emily's homemade muffins it appears. I laughed a bit at their expression before they nodded in hello and went back to eating their muffins in a silence that was far too unusual for them. I saw Emily turn from the stove to see what the cause for their sudden silence was before a sad smile crossed her face.

"I thought we'd be seeing you again today Jeanie. How is Maddy doing?" (Em)

"If we could hear her now we would only hear screaming." (J)

"Seth's a dumbass anyway. We all told him this would happen." (Paul)

"Hush Paul, this isn't the time for that. Jeanie, let's go on a walk and talk some? Just us girls. The food has to cook for another hour anyway so no worries that it'll burn." (Em)

I nodded in agreement as Em took off the apron she was wearing and grabbed a small coat off the rack. I smiled for a moment thinking that I never had to worry about the cold thanks to the wish Emmett made before he even knew what I was. The smile soon disappeared though I as thought back to Maddy screaming out in agony for no one to hear, except Witanica.

We left the warm inviting house and walked out into the cold chilly air. I was again grateful for that wish that Emmett made those years ago. The cold never truly bothered me, really it felt refreshing right now as it seemed to calm my anger at the foolish young wolf. I felt a sigh leave my mouth just as one left Emily's at the same time.

"Her deal with the witch, is it like the Little Mermaid's deal?" (Em)

"Yes and no. The merpeople learned magic long ago that would give them legs when they used a certain spell. So instead of legs she was told of her pearl's location in exchange for her voice and her pain. There isn't a time restriction or limit, but I fear that won't matter much now." (J)

"How was her pain a part of the deal?" (Em)

"Each scream of pain whether from a forced transformation rather than one she speaks for or as it has happened now the piercing pain from her pearl being with another is heard and used for whatever purpose by the witch." (J)

"That's horrible." (Em)

"That's what Maddy and her family are known for I'm afraid, making poorly made deals with the witches. I had tried to talk her out of it, but Maddy is stubborn. Just as her aunt was. I find I should go ahead and say that the original Little Mermaid story where she turns into sea foam in the end was true, and it was based on Maddy's aunt." (J)

"You....you knew her aunt then?"(Em)

"Fairly well I'd like to think." (J)

"I always seem to forget how old you actually are Jeanie. Well....in this case it appears that there is only one thing that we can do." (Em)

"What is that?" (J)

"Plant the seeds that may grow into Seth wanting his imprint as much as I know she must want him." (Em)

"It probably won't work, but for Maddy's sake I agree. Now, what did you have in mind?" (J)

"Well in the case of Sam and I, the more time we spent together whether alone or in a group the more it made him see that he couldn't deny the imprint." (Em)

"I like the idea, what do you have in mind?" (J)

"We have the pack over with imprints and now close friends three times a week for dinner. I think that tomorrow's dinner would be a great way to start." (Em)

I looked to see Emily smiling with as sneaky a grin as I've ever seen on her face, and I can't help the laugh that escapes me. Somehow with Emily just as determined to help get Maddy and Seth together, I feel less hopeless about everything working out in the long run. Perhaps Maddy and her pearl will be the ones to break the trend in her family and actually best the witch and her wicked deal.