I originally wanted to start from the very moment Kennie saw Georgia. But I realized, that if you read Verlangen, you didn't need all that, so I decided to start at a better point. After the uprising! So here we go! Chapter 1!

Provenance II: Still Alive

Chapter 1: Georgia, sweet Georgia

The road seemed to stretch on forever as Georgia applied more pressure to the gas. Welcome to Illinois. She felt like she would never get home at this rate. The wind made her hair flap about her face as she sped along the interstate. Part of her wanted to look back, hoping she would see North Dakota peeking over the horizon. The sane part of her wanted to burn it to the ground. After the uprising, she had been hospitalized with a few scratch wounds. The doctors wanted to keep her there, for psychological examination since she had went through "such a traumatic experience". She wiped her hair from her face. All she wanted was to get away from Kenneth. Now that was a traumatic experience. Her fingers clenched the steering wheel as her mind replayed the events. Kenneth had killed his own father. She had watched him take a bullet to the chest and then somehow manage to overpower the man. She could vividly recall the snapping and snarling that took place as both men fought. She remembered hearing him whine when the bullet sailed through his chest. And she would always remember the words of his father. "You are no son of mine!"And then he had aimed the gun. Well, fortunately they didn't die and that bastard of a father of his, did. Or at least, she didn't die. She wasn't too sure of Kenneth's condition now. When she had asked the doctors during her brief moment of insanity, they had stated that he was in dire conditions. Dire conditions equal practically dead. So Georgia checked herself out of the hospital, went to their apartment, packed up as much of her stuff as she could in fifteen minutes and bolted out of that place for home.

Welcome to Georgia.

Georgia couldn't fight the grin on her face. She had timed her leaving the hotel in Tennessee so that she could make it to Tyrone, Georgia when her mom was home. The still hot October sun made the car uncomfortable. She headed towards the 185 exit to I-75 toward Atlanta. She probably had another 4 and half hours to go now. She looked at her clock. It was 3 now. She'd get there right around supper time. Her foot became heavy on the gas. Maybe she could get there sooner. As long as the 75/85 connector didn't screw her over. She glanced at her directions. She groaned when she noticed she needed to take 285 as well. Well, she'd get home when she got home.

Georgia almost squealed when she zoomed off of the interstate and onto the exit. She was thankful that on this Tuesday, she was driving into Atlanta and not out of Atlanta. She loved Georgia, but God knows she hates Atlanta rush hour. She would have been delayed at least two hours if she had been caught in it. Just ten more minutes until she got to her house. Just ten more minutes until she was home with sane people! Her foot pressed down on her gas hard as the red light turned green. 50, 60, 70 mph. She made a sharp right, fish tailing slightly in her civic as she zoomed down the road. Her eyes scanned the area, looking out for cops. The sounds of sirens made her pause. Where the hell did he come from? She squinted at the officer coming to her window. She rolled it down.

"Georgia?"

Her eyes landed on a pair of brown. "Alex?"

"Georgia, do you know how fast you were going?" Georgia shook her head. She knew exactly how fast she was going. She was going 75 in a 45, approaching a residential area. Alex let out a sigh. Alex Tate was the son of her father's best friend. He was a few years older than her at 28, but they had practically grown up together. "I'm not stupid Georgia. You know how fast you were going, I can see it in your face." She looked away. Her father had told her that Alex had become a cop while she was at school.

"I know Alex…"

"Why the hell were you going that fast? I could toss you in jail and revoke your license."

"I'm sorry! I'll slow down! I'm just…" She chewed on her lip. "I just want to get home right now." Alex peered into her eyes for a moment. Georgia hoped she didn't look at off her rocker as she felt.

"You ok?"

"I just want to see my family right now…" Alex nodded.

"Slow the hell down, you hear?" Georgia nodded before smiling. "I mean it Ms. Brown. Slow down or I'll get your car impounded!"

"I will. I will. My house is right around the corner, anyway!" And with that she headed to her house.

Blue green eyes stared up into the white ceiling. White light blinded him, making him squint and growl. Something was in his throat. He huffed, trying to dispel the object, but it stayed firmly there, blocking his ability to breath. "Doctor!" Someone yelled. "He's awake!" A woman came into view telling him to relax and pulled the offending object from this throat. He coughed, his body sore.

"Georgia…" His voice came out as a rasp, barely audible to human ears. "Where's…" He tried sitting up, but a firm hand pushed him down.

"You shouldn't exert yourself man." It was Pete. Kenneth looked at him, his brows furrowed.

"Where's Georgia?" he asked, his voice sounding a little stronger.

"Um….she'snothere."

"Huh? I just want to see her. Where is she?" He was growing impatient. Pete's mate, Phoebe came into view, her eyes wide. She took a breath before stepping towards him.

"Georgia left Kennie." Her voice was clear.

"WHAT?"

"She left almost a week ago."

"She…how…" His fist clenched into the sheets. I deafening roar emitting from him. He had to get her. She couldn't just walk away like this. This wasn't how it worked. She was his mate. His. "Where is she?" Phoebe backed away from him as he tried to lift himself from the bed. Pete held him down, his hands pushing on his shoulders.

"You need to calm down."

"I want my mate!"

"Phoebe! Get the doctor! Calm down! Listen, you don't need to exert yourself!"

"How could she just walk away?" The tears couldn't be held back. When was the last time he cried? When he was 5? He clung to Pete's arms, desperation and anger setting in. "After everything, she just walks away? I told you! I told you that humans held no loyalty! I almost died for her! I KILLED MY OWN FATHER FOR HER! AND SHE LEAVES ME!" Men came in, restraining him as a doctor inserted a needle into his IV. A strange sense of calm invaded his body, but his mind kept going, screaming. Georgia couldn't just walk away. She belonged to him and only him. And he would be damned if he didn't have her.