Clearly, she’s supernatural and has been hiding things from me. I was really hoping she didn’t know either somehow. That means I can’t trust her.
A memory surfaces, I’m in one of our many living rooms at home, my mom and I on the couch. She’s stern as she stares down at me. I’m young, maybe eight or nine.
What’s strange is that she’s home. She was never home growing up.
She opens her mouth and says, “Aly dear, we are a family of hunters.”
My shock pulls me out of the memory. I don’t remember her ever telling me this. How could she tell me something so significant and I forgot? Did she plant it?
There’s a spike of panic from my bond with Jeremy. I touch his pentagram and feel it even stronger, almost like it’s my own. He’s freaking out and his rage is palatable. I wonder if he felt my shock through our connection and freaked out? Or did he just wake up and the guys told him?
I reach up and run my fingers along the bite from Jay. He’s lost in his sorrow. I’ve never felt my playful wolf this down. It hardens my resolve to get back to them. I can’t leave them like this. They need me.
I so badly wish I had my bond with Kiran and Jax. I feel so empty with no way to connect with them. I have no idea how they’re doing with this. If I had to guess, Ajax has defaulted to his problem solving mode. He’s locked emotions away, so he can help find me.
And Kiran, I know he has a dark side. He’s usually fun and playful like Jay but I imagine he’s raging out now. The only thing keeping him from losing control completely is his twin’s calm demeanor, if Jax loses it then I’m sure Kiran will shortly follow.
Another memory steals me from my thoughts of them, this time I’m in a gym with my dad. He and I are dressed in all black tactical gear and training in combat.
“You have to be prepared for anything. You never know when one of them will lose control. You need to maintain yourself so you can defeat them,” he says.
He sweeps my feet out from under me and I smack down on the mat, hard. I wince at the memory of how terrible that bruise was.
Memory after memory keeps cycling through my head and I realize, these were repressed with magic. They’re training me and telling me all about supernaturals. They’re giving me all the information I could need when it comes to fighting the different species. I’ve always known what I am and what I can do, but they took that from me.
“Aly, the other creatures aren’t like us. They’re dangerous, and they won’t hesitate to kill you. That’s why we are teaching you to protect yourself,” my dad says before executing a move I fail to block. He ends up slicing my arm open with a throwing knife.
I always thought I got that scar from falling off my bike. Now I can clearly remember that never happened but it’s what I told everyone when they saw my stitches. Stitches my mom did herself.
I think about my dad’s words and the hate in his heart. But I know that’s not true. My guys would never hurt me, they care about me. I can’t see them hurting anyone unless they had to, to protect themselves.
A small voice in the back of my head reminds me that they don’t know I’m a hunter. What if they don’t want me anymore now? They always talked about hunters with pure hatred.
Even if that’s true, I have a feeling it would be because of everything hunters have done to them. Not because they’re evil themselves.
I’m sweating hard at the idea of my guys never seeing me again, never being held in their arms again. I didn’t even tell them I love them. I was so stupid for waiting but I thought we had all the time in the world.
I walk into the bathroom to splash some water on my face. I need to reset, memories keep coming and I’m getting overwhelmed.
First thing I notice when I enter in the bathroom is the new mark on my neck. Sharp lines form crossing arrows in blood red. It’s aggressive and fierce, reminding me of a deadly predator. But it also instills strength and confidence. I love it, but not what it represents. I don’t want the mark of a race of people who hate supernaturals. Who kill them for no reason. The people who made the guys flee their old school. I reach up to touch it and feel the same scars from earlier, it’s like my skin was cut open and healed to form the design.
I stare down at my mate marks. What are they going to do with me? A hunter mated to other supernaturals. According to my memories it’s impossible but clearly they’re wrong.
Fear slithers down my spine. Did my own mother bring me here to kill me? What will they do to my mates when she finds them?
She knows where they are. She could pop back for them anytime. What if she already has? What if she’s holding them here as well? I can’t let anything happen to them or me.
Two
Nic
My mate pops out of existence right in front of my very eyes and I’m helpless to stop it. One second she’s there and the next it’s like a hole has opened up in my chest. I couldn’t get to her in time.
My heart is pounding out of my chest with all this new information. Aly is a hunter. Her mom must be a hunter. Her mom took her, and we don’t know where they are. Aly is in danger.
Danger keeps repeating in my head over and over. My sweet, perfect mate is in danger and I didn’t protect her. I failed her.
We are all staring at the spot she disappeared from, frozen in shock. I don’t think anyone can believe this is real, that fate would be so cruel.
