“This is so cool. Kai and I finding our matesat the same time,” Diya exclaimed.
I took a deep breath in through my nostrils.They smelled of foreign wolves but they also smelled familiar, friendly.
“How are you adjusting, dear? It’s a lot totake in,” his mother asked me. The way she looked at me, with such a caringgaze, made me drop my guard a little.
“Oh. Well, I’m just doing my best,” Ioffered. His mother’s brow pinched together.
“Beingchangedand then finding outyou are second in the pack and then meeting your mate. It’s a lot,” his motherprobed further.
I felt my throat tighten. What the hell. Ihadn’t planned on this.
“Ma.” Kai growled lightly and brought over atray with steaming cups of Chai.
His mother broke her gaze and shrugged.“Sorry, dear. I can’t help what I feel. It overwhelms me.”
I looked at him confused. Jai stepped forward.“My mother is achangedwolf, so her gift is that she can feel emotions.She was also a psychologist for a couple of decades in the 60s. It makes for anintrusive combo. You can’t keep anything from her. She will shrink you untilevery last emotion has been turned to peace.”
Maya swatted Jai. “Oh, stop it! I can’t helpit. I was just trying to get to know her. I’m sorry if I intruded, Aurora.”
I smiled lightly. “That’s okay. I know whatit’s like to not be able to turn your gift off.” I sipped my Chai slowly.
The entire table was silent for a moment andthen Kai cleared his throat. Only Jai looked confused.
“Well, Diya, I’m sure you are dying to meetTrent. Let’s all take a run.” Kai motioned us outside.
‘My family is here. Let’s go for a run,’Kai sent to the pack.
Trent and Diya shared a nervous hug and alittle small talk before joining the pack in the open area in front of thehouse. Akash ran to his mother and gave her a big hug. She cupped his face inher hands and kissed his forehead, which he promptly wiped off. We all kept oureyes at the ground as we undressed and shifted. As usual, Kai and I shiftedfirst. I shook my fur and rolled in the soft grass as Kai nuzzled me. A fewmoments later, I turned my attention to the pack and saw Trent and Diya rollingon the ground playing. They were mates. Exact opposite markings. The thirdcouple I had brought together. I had a purpose in life, a good purpose. Ibrought families together; I helped people find love. A huge weight I had beencarrying lifted off my chest. This gift was a blessing more than it was acurse.
I turned to find Kai’s mother staring at meas if she sensed my release of emotion. She trotted over and nudged me lightlywith her snout. After a small yip, she took off into the forest. Kai and I tookoff after her, feeling the thrill of the chase. The pack followed. We all randown our usual path, howling and yipping. I felt so free when I ran, likenothing in the world could bother me. We were making our way down the back sideof the mountain when I smelled something…off. It was like a foreign wolfsmelled but not. Before I could ask Kai about it, he ran to my side. Hismother, who had been leading the pack, stopped dead and howled deep and long.
‘Vampires. Pack formation. Protect Aurora andmy family,’ Kai sentout to the pack. With that command, the pack made a circle around me, hismother, Jai, and Diya. Akash didn’t come into the circle but joined inprotecting us. Three vampires dropped from the trees above and stood ten feetfrom us. I bared my teeth and growled. They didn’t smell friendly and I had abad feeling about this. There were two men and one woman. They were impossiblypale and cruel looking with sunken in cheeks, yet beautiful features.
“Hello, Alpha.” The male vampire moved fiftyfeet to his right in a matter of seconds as the female moved behind the circlejust as fast. Holy shit, they were fast! They were now surrounding us.
“We are here on an investigative mission intoyour newlychangedfemale. The Portland Alpha says she smells quiteunique. Let us meet with her and no one gets hurt.”
I thought I had seen Kai at his fastestbefore, but I hadn’t. The speed at which he moved, was akin to the vampires. Helunged forward and clamped his jaws down on the vampire’s neck tearing out histhroat. Before I had time to express my shock, the second vampire was gliding upinto the air and landed inside the circle right in front of Jai, Diya, Maya,and me.
The third vampire was fighting Devon and afew other wolves. The vampire Kai had injured was still alive and had his armsaround Kai, squeezing so hard I could hear ribs breaking. Anna darted towardsthe vampire and ripped Kai away from him with the force of The Hulk. She jumpedup on her hind legs and pushed the vampire back with her front paws sending himflying backward. I guess we knew what Anna’s new power was, extreme strength. Kailooked at Anna with surprise and they went after the vampire.
The vampire in the middle of the circlelunged for Kai’s mom. She was a submissive. Diya and Jai were both lessdominant than me. I could feel it. I had an overwhelming urge to protect themall. Being dominant didn’t mean you were physically the strongest. I knew that.But it did mean I had to try to protect them. This must be what Kai feels likeall the time for the entire pack. I threw myself on the vampires back andknocked her to the ground. She whipped out a thin silver chain and had my pawsbound before I could think to deflect her. I gave her a wolfish grin. I wasimmune to silver for whatever reason. When the silver didn’t burn me or beginto make me weak, I saw fear flash in her eyes. Jai lunged for her and had oneof her wrists in his mouth as Diya went for her other hand pinning her down. Iyanked my paws and tore the silver chain apart.
‘Decapitation or a stake through the heart.’ I heard Emma say into my mind. Jaiand Diya were pinning her down for me to finish her off. The vampire tried tofling them off but two full grown werewolves were too much for her. Could Ikill a vampire? Could I decapitate someone? The answer came from deep withinme. The new me. If it meant I was protecting my pack, my family, then yes. Icrouched on my hind legs but just before I was about to pounce, the vampirejumped high up in the air with Jai and Diya still hanging from her hands andcame down hard, slamming them both on the ground. They let go of her andwhimpered. Then the vampire reached out and took a handful of Kai’s mother’sfur in her hand and started pulling. Kai’s mom whimpered and growled trying tobite the vampire.
That was it. That was all I needed to see, toknow what I was capable of. I was a vegetarian, I was a do-gooder but I wasalso a werewolf and in that moment I knew, I was a murderer. I sprung back andleapt at the vampire, baring my teeth, and came down on her chest knocking herback. Before she could push me off, I lunged for her neck and bit down hardwhile thrusting my body into a roll and using the momentum to pull her headclean off. Her body turned to ash before my eyes. The head in my mouthdisintegrated leaving behind a black chalky ash that tasted of death. My heartwas hammering in my chest. It all happened so fast I wasn’t sure it was over.
I ran to Kai’s mother and she stared at mewith wide eyes. Then she lowered her head in thanks and nuzzled me. I felt likeI was being watched. I turned to see Kai and the pack staring at me. All thevampires were dead. Three distinct piles of ash lay on the ground. Kai was thefirst one to tilt his head back and howl. We all followed. Someone had tried totake one of ours, to harm us. This was our land, our family, our pack. We wouldprotect what was ours. We ran back to the house slowly, reflecting on whathappened. Twice Kai had asked me if I was okay and both times I assured him Iwas. I didn’t really have a choice. I had to be okay. This was my life now. Iwas hunted. I was a hunter. I just didn’t want those I loved to get hurt. I wasstarting to see the rationale in my birth mother’s choices for my life.
When we got back, I shifted quickly and raninside before any of the rest of the pack was done shifting. Kai tried tofollow me but I shook my head. I needed a break. I needed a shower. I couldstill taste the ash on my tongue. I let the water beat on my back. So thePortland Alpha was behind this attack? He smelled something different about me.That I was part witch? That I was the Matefinder? How would he even know that?Unless legend said the Matefinder was part witch. Was this the last timevampires or anyone would come for me? Not likely. I could run away. The secondthe thought was out, my heart protested. I couldn’t leave Kai. I loved him. ButI also wanted to protect those I loved.
‘Don’t worry. I can feel your struggle raginginside my head. Anyone who comes for you will meet the same fate as thosevampires. You are safe,’Kai told me.
‘I don’t care about my safety, I care aboutyours,’ I replied tohim.
‘As long as you are with me, I will be fine.The only way I can get hurt, isif something happens to you,’he stated.
I sighed and turned off the tap. I dried off,brushed my teeth, and changed my clothes. When I came out into the kitchen Iexpected some big awkward talk about the vampire fight. Instead, some Indian dancemusic was on and Diya was dancing with her mother. They were laughing. Trentand Jai were talking quietly while watching them, and Kai was cooking. I stoodthere unsure of what to do. Kai’s mom spotted me. “Aurora! Come dance with us.”
