The Mate Keeper : Everlee's Beginning

Chapter 20 - Everlee

I dash into the house, but I don't stop to use the bathroom. I just keep on going straight out the front door. I can't handle this. I thought for sure that the moment I knew the truth about any of the guys, I could handle it. How wrong I was. The moment I tripped it felt like I was moving in slow motion. I fell toward the fire, I saw Ryder move, and I knew everything was about to change. The moment his arms wrapped around me and our skin touched, I was sucked into a mate vision. The vision was different than other I have seen. It wasn't Ryder kissing his mate and saying "mine", and it wasn't him introducing his mate to his family. No this vision was so much different.

The four of them Ryder, Ellis, Dominick, and Devin were facing off a bunch of other men I didn't recognize except for one. Troy Stark who was holding me with a knife to my throat. "Give us our mate." Ryder growled and I have never heard him sound so menacing before. "I don't see any mate marks." Troy said as he ran his nose along the side of my throat as he still held a knife to me. "Do you boys?" He asks his group of men. "We know she is ours Troy." Ellis says, right before the vision faded out.

This is my worst nightmare come true. I have to get away. I am glad I have taken all my finals already and the last week of school is just a formality because I have to get away from here. As soon as I reach my dorm I head straight for my room. I throw on over my bathing suit the first t shirt and pair of skinny jeans I grab from my closet and a pair of my favorite converse sneakers. Than I rush to pack what I think I will need and can't live without. I know I don't have long before one of them comes looking for me and I just can't deal with the consequences of that vision right now. After I am all packed I scribble a quick note to La La filling her in. Then I call the only person I can think of who will help me and understand.

"Hey bitch." My best friend Taylor says as she answers her phone. "Taylor." I manage to choke out. "Ever, what's wrong?" She asks me immediately. "I need a safe place to stay. Can I come stay with you and Mason for awhile?" I ask her. "Of course babe. You are welcome here any time." In the back ground I hear Mason. "Is that Ever? Of course she can come stay with us. We miss you Ev!" And it makes me smile to know I am wanted and loved. "Okay I am getting on a plane tonight." I tell her wiping the tears from my eyes. "Alright, just call us when you land and we will pick you up. Oh and Ever?" "Yeah?" "Whatever it is we will work through this. I love you." I smile. "I love you too Tay. See you soon." I hang up and pull up the uber app and order a car to take me to the airport. I lay the note to La La on the island and grab my bag. With one last glance to my dorm room, I turn to leave.

I find an uber waiting for me as soon as I make it out front. I climb in and ask him to take me to the airport. Just as he is pulling up to the airport my phone starts ringing. I look down to see Ethan's name come across the caller ID. I ignore the call, and walk up to the ticket counter. I tell the lady where I would like to go and pay for my ticket. Lucky for me they had a flight leaving shortly, she tells me I might have to run to catch it but I should make it in time, since I only have a carry on. I thank her and start running to catch my flight. As I run through the airport my phone rings again. This time it's Evan, followed by La La, and the others. I don't answer any of their calls. When I am finally on the plane I turn my phone off, after I text Tay to let her know when my plane lands. I settle into my seat and relax a little. I just need a small break and then I can come back. It's just too much, too soon. I tell myself. The plane takes off and I suddenly realize how exhausted I am. I put on my headphones, lay back, and promptly fall asleep.

When I land the first thing I notice is how cold it is. I almost forgot how cold it can be so I am glad in my panic packing that I managed to throw in a hoodie that I slip on before exiting the plane. I am glad in my panic I had slipped on a pair of jeans so I wouldn't have to change in the plane bathroom. Ever tried to change in an airplane bathroom? It isn't easy. I find Tay and Mason right away, and I grin to find them waving their hands around like loons to get my attention. I rush into their arms like it's been years since I have seen them, and they squish me close. "God I have missed you guys." I tell them as they squeeze the life out of me. "We missed you too." They say at the same time and I feel a slight pang at the reminder of my brothers. After letting each other go they lead my to the parking lot where they parked their car. They ask me questions about my family and I tell them how I reconnected with my brothers, but haven't with my fathers yet. I tell them about La La and how I think Tay would just love my brothers mate. By the time we make it to their place, they are pretty much caught up on all things Ever, except what I wont mention in front of Mason.

I feel bad because I never shared with Mason my gift but Tay told me she understood and she has respected my decision not to fill him in. My cover story for Mason is I had a fight with my brothers and needed space and that is why I was there. However, later when I got Tay alone I tell her the gift side of the story. When I get to the vision of my mates I break down in tears. "Oh honey." Tay says reaching for me to hold me. "It's going to be okay." She says soothingly while running her fingers through my hair. Tay know it is the best way to relax me. "Tay, I don't know what to do." I tell her as I wipe tears from my face. "Do you want my advice?" She asks me and I nod my head enthusiastically. "Of course that's why I came to you." I tell her. "Well, I think you need to take some time for yourself. Relax for a bit, unwind, and than when you are ready you need to go home and tell those boys everything." I looked at her astonished. Tay and I always said I should never speak of my gift, hell we still haven't even told Mason and they have been together for two years and officially mated for almost a year.

"Oh don't give me that look Ever. Those boys are your mates, and are suppose to protect you no matter what. You need to tell them about your vision. Oh and stay away from that Troy guy as much as possible." She tells me giving me her best mom face. "Okay, I will take your advice. Can I stay here for a week or two? Than I will go back." "Of course you can. You can stay here for as long as you like. Now, let's go to the spa, my treat." She says as she pulls me up from the guest bed. "Who could say no to that?" I tell her with a wink. "Mason! We are going to the spa. Be back later." She yells before we leave the front door. I climb into her camero and enjoy the familiarity. I turn my phone on and watch as it goes off with so many missed calls and texts I am almost over whelmed. They even got my fathers worried and they don't usually pay attention to what I do. I open a group chat and add everyone in it. My fathers, my brothers, La La, and the rest of the kings. I make my message short and sweet. I am safe, I need space. I hit send and feel a slight weight come off my chest. I will put my big girl panties on and face what is about to come, but for now I am going to enjoy some much needed me time, and time with the girl who adopted me when my family deserted me.