“Max was mated to a womanwho died during childbirth about twenty years ago. They lost the baby, too.”
Her hand flew to her mouth.“Oh God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I mean, I thought he was nice and we hadthis intense connection, but I won’t pursue him now, don’t worry.”
I placed a hand on hers.“Max is your mate, Tara.” I stared into her eyes.
I could hear her heart pickup in speed. “What? You just said he lost his mate.”
“He did. Werewolves mate forlife, I know. But I’m telling you, I have visions of people’s mates and you areMax’s mate now.”
Then I released the stopbutton and the elevator dropped one floor and dinged open.
“I’m sorry,” I told her andwalked to the lobby.
***
The plane flight home waslong and I was stuck in my thoughts. Trent had stayed behind to help Diya saygoodbye and to tour more of India. They would be flying home in a week. I wasexcited and nervous to see Emma. I wasn’t sure I could look at her the same nowthat I knew werewolf pregnancy was so dangerous.
The second the plane landedon the tarmac in Portland, I powered up my phone. It beeped with a bunch ofmissed calls and texts. I scrolled through. Lexi, my mom, Dr. Tavern. I lookedcloser. I didn’t even have Dr. Tavern’s number in this phone. This was mypersonal phone. She must have plugged it in when I wasn’t looking. I opened thetext.
-No bun in the oven- itread. I slipped the phone in my backpack. So everything Kai’s father had toldme was right.
We had just reached home. Iwas exhausted and I wanted nothing more than to sleep for a week.
Kai grabbed my arm lightly.“Are you going to tell me about what happened with my father?”
I sighed. “I’m so tired fromthe flight. Let me sleep and we will talk tomorrow. Okay?”
Kai looked into my eyes. Hebent forward and kissed my nose. “Okay.”
Dreams
That night I tossed and turned. I wasdreaming and a cold sweat broke out on my skin. This wasn’t like a normaldream. I was half awake and aware of Kai’s breathing next to me. I also knewthat I was dreaming but I couldn’t fully wake up. I felt trapped. Suddenly Iwas standing in my dream in front of my childhood home. The door was open.Chills ran up my spine. Something felt wrong. I did NOT want to go inside. Itried to back up but my traitorous legs began walking in.
“No!” I screamed.
I heard a whimper leave my throat as Kai wokeup next to me. I felt like my soul was splitting in two. Part of me was nowstanding at the foot of the bed staring at my sleeping body. Kai was awake nowand looking curiously at my sleeping self. Then, in my dream, I was walkinginto the house and heading right for the kitchen.
“No, no, no! Wake up!” I told myself. A softwhimper left my throat again.
Kai nudged me this time. “Aurora, wake up.You’re dreaming.”
***
In my dream, I knew what I was going to see,somehow I knew. My father’s body was crumpled on the floor, a pool of bloodrapidly growing around him. I looked down at my shaking hands; they werecovered in blood. The knife lay at my feet. He wasn’t dead yet. I could hearhis sputtering cough. I didn’t want to be here! Why was I here? I tried toclose my eyes but they wouldn’t. I was trapped. I began to tear up. I knew whatcame next and I didn’t want to hear it. His words would haunt me for the restof my life.
“It should have been you.” My dying drunkenfather wheezed. “Not my Drake.” Then the blood became too much and the lifeleft his eyes. The refrigerator was open, and my mother’s unconscious body layon the floor. An open jug of orange juice pooled around her. To this day Ican’t eat two things: ketchup and orange juice.
***
“Aurora! Wake up this instant!” Kai’s eyeshad gone yellow. Fur was rippling down his arms.
I looked again at my bloody hands and felt apresence at my back. I spun quickly to see the dark witch that was working withLayla. Prudence.
“I always knew you had a dark side to you,Aurora. But imagine my surprise when I find out you’re not just a murderer, butthat you killed your own father!” She laughed and clapped her hands together inglee. My stomach rolled.
“Kai! Sylvia!” I screamed.
Prudence flung her hand out quickly dousingme with mist. I felt like cement had been poured down my veins; I couldn’tmove.
