The Hunter’s Awakening

by Bryce Evans

  She couldn’t believe how she was thinking. Never had she fantasiced about a man. Well, she never seen one she actually wanted either. She could feel the bear inside of her watching Cosmo too. It had to be the bear making her think like this.

  “Come, Haven, let’s eat.”

  “Is Lennox not joining us?” she asked as she took a seat.

  “Yeah, but he got a call from the council. I don’t think he will be long. They just wanted an update on you actually.”

  “Me? He told them about me?”

  “Of course. You are his little sister and you were kidnapped. I think they would want to know you have been with Laris Winter since that time.”

  She looked toward the hallway where Lennox disappeared. “I hate that I’m bringing trouble to him…to all of you. I know of the Death Hunters and how smart and cunning they are, but I also know the Winter Coven and they are just as deadly. I can’t let anything happen to any of you.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of someone being hurt because of her. No more. Not again.

  “Haven, the Death Hunters and the council won’t let that happen. I’m pretty sure they will send hunters to arrest them. They have to pay for their crimes against the shifters they killed. You have to decide whether you are still with the coven or with your real family.”

  “I’m starving,” Lennox said, walking in from the other room. Once he saw her face, he immediately came to her side. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m sorry, Haven. None of us will lie to you, but I think you need to talk to Lennox about how you feel,” Jade said, getting up and leaving the room.

  “Tell me what?” Lennox sat beside her and stared at her.

  “I don’t want you or anyone to get hurt because of me. I can leave—”

  “Stop right there. First, you’re not going anywhere, and second, the council is alerting all the packs about the coven. We are going to hunt them down and bring them to justice. The Twisters Council is also sending people out to help us.”

  “The Old Ones?” Haven asked.

  “Yes, and some of their students are pretty powerful as well. Scarlett is already here and Greer.”

  Grasping onto her brother’s arm, Haven choked. “Greer is here? Oh no, no please, you must hide her. That’s who they want most of all. She is the prize of the coven. If they know she is here, they will come and kill all of you to take her.”

  “Well, I think they will have a little problem if they do. You see, baby sis, this place is covered from all sides with shifter packs. The Dixon pack on one side and the Crenshaw clan is on the other. We are right here and we all have an alliance with each other. If they come within the city limits, we will know. Stop worrying. It’s not like Greer is out in the public. She is on Dixon pack land and will soon be here in a small cabin we are building.”

  “Does she know about me?”

  “Who, Greer?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sure she does.”

  “She must hate me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I was there when they killed her aunt. I watched as they tortured her and then took her magic.”

  “That’s not your fault. You didn’t do it.”

  “But I didn’t help her either. She asked me too, but I knew, I knew what they would do,” Haven said, looking down at her fingers. “She begged me to help her and I didn’t. I let her die.”

  “Haven, look at me.” Lennox’s finger lifted her chin. “Didn’t you just say the coven is powerful and at the time you were just human. You had no magic and you didn’t have your bear. Don’t you see you would have been killed along with her if you had helped her? You have to stop beating yourself up for stuff you couldn’t change. You have to realize that you had no choice, and nobody blames you.”

  Lennox pulled her closer and hugged her. The guilt was eating her up. She wished she saw it that way, but she couldn’t. Every night, she saw every shifter’s face right before they killed them, and their fear would forever be frozen in her dreams. She should have at least tried to save them.

  “Now, let’s eat. We want to take you to town. Jade wants to show you her new line and I want to buy you some clothes. And please don’t say no. I want to do this for you. It would actually make me happy.”

  Haven nodded. She wanted to make her brother happy. “Okay.”

  “You have to be hungry. I hope you like some of this,” Lennox said, piling everything on her plate.

  “Oh…wow…I’m starving.”

  “Good.” They both started to eat when Jade came back in the room.

  “Lennox, did you see the flowers?”

  “Yep.”

  Jade and Haven laughed knowing he never cared to look.

  She couldn’t let her brother get hurt. They had just found each other again.

  Chapter Ten

  Cosmo sat beside her in the back seat. He rolled the window down; her scent now all over him. If he hung his head out the window, it would be a little too obvious, so he decided to just leave the window cracked. Every minute he sat beside her, his insides grew crazier. Did his bear want to protect her or…no, was it something else?

  He tried not to look up front, Lennox stared at him in the rearview mirror. He knew something was up, but if he suspected, then he would kill him. And who could blame him? This was his little sister, the little girl he swung around when she was five years old.

  Every time she moved in her seat, he tuned in to her body and where she sat: was she comfortable, what could he do to make her more…shit, shit, shit. What the hell? They couldn’t get to town quickly enough.

  “We don’t have a lot here, but we have enough to make life comfortable. This is Southern Treasures,” Jade said, pointing toward the store.

  Thankfully, they were here. He jumped out before the truck even stopped and stood beside the vehicle inhaling deep breaths. He didn’t know if he could take riding back with her. This would be a problem. Maybe he needed to run, let his beast go wild and get it out of his system.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Lennox asked, backing him against his vehicle.

  “Nothing. Just need to run a while. After everything that’s happened, he needs to be let loose.”

  “Looked like you couldn’t stand my sister. Is something wrong? What aren’t you telling me, Cosmo?”

  “Paranoid much?” Cosmo said, trying to move around him. When Lennox stepped in his way, his animal wanted to take a swipe, but this was his alpha. Even Lennox took notice of the struggle.

  “You two go on in. I need to go over some things with my beta,” Lennox said, waving for Jade and his sister to go inside. Even Jade stood there a few minutes before she pulled on Haven’s hand. They both could see something was wrong. If his best friend didn’t get out of his way he didn’t know if he would be able to stop himself from moving him. “Now, tell me what’s going on? And Cosmo, don’t tell me it’s nothing. I’ve known you all your life and I know when something is wrong. Tell me, now!”

  Cosmo gritted his teeth as he felt his alpha’s command go through him. His bear wanted to follow his mate. Shit, what would he do? The vibes were stronger as Lennox continued to let his power flow through him.

  “Stop…It’s nothing. Stop, now!” Cosmo said, pushing away from Lennox.

  “Then tell me. We will handle whatever it is.”

  He gripped the side of the truck, trying to stay in control. “I’m not ready to tell you. I will but not yet.”

  Cosmo gasped as the pain stopped. “But you will tell me, right?”

  “Yeah, sure, but stop doing the alpha vibes on me. I’m your beta, for god’s sake, and I deserve better than that. You don’t tell me everything and why should I have to tell you? You’re acting like a paranoid creep. Get your shit together, Alpha.”

  He knew Lennox watched as he walked away. He couldn’t believe he talked to him like that and the fact he allowed him too meant he wasn’t letting this go. He didn’t blame him either. He woul
d have badgered him until he fessed up.

  Instead of going into Southern Treasures, Cosmo walked across the street to his nursery. At least he could lose himself there. Maybe it would give him time to figure out a plan on what he was going to tell Lennox. Because if he didn’t figure out how to suppress the mating magnetism and desires, then his best friend might truly kill him.

  “What’s going on?” Haven asked Jade as they watched Cosmo march across the street, leaving Lennox watching him.

  “I don’t know, but I will find out,” Jade answered.

  “Hey.” Quinn ran up behind them.

  “Hey.” Haven answered first, turning to face the vibrant witch.

  “I have already picked some clothes for you to try, but all you have to say is I don’t like it and you can pick out whatever you want. But you can ask Jade, I have a gift in finding the perfect clothes for people. I picked out most of Jades and she loved them. You ready to try some on?” Not waiting for an answer, Quinn pulled Haven toward the dressing room.

  “Sure.” And just like that, she was shoved into a dressing room with a full wardrobe hanging from racks. As she moved closer, she noticed she liked most of the clothes. In fact, she loved them. Most were fall colors. Then she glanced down at the price tag of the short dress she was trying on, fifty-two dollars? She couldn’t afford this.

  Before she could take the dress off, the door creaked open and Quinn and Jade both peeked through the crack. “Oh, Haven. You look great in that. I knew you would. It fits you perfect. Don’t you think so, Jade?”

  “I’m jealous. You look beautiful, Haven.”

  Haven started to pull the dress off. “I can’t afford this. Maybe after I get a job, you will still have one in my size.”

  “Stop.” Quinn and Jade were both in the dressing room holding her hands from pulling the dress off. “Please don’t. If you don’t let him buy you clothes he will be heart broken. He’s missed so much of you growing up that this is something he can do for you. Please, Haven, let him buy you the clothes. Trust me when I say he can afford it. He wants to take care of you and try to make up for all the lost time. Please.”

  She watched as Jade held her hand, begging. She felt like a complete loser now. If she didn’t allow her brother to do this, then he would be upset, and she already cared about him. He was her big brother and he had already done so much for her.

  “Okay, but this is it. I feel bad knowing this is going to cost him a fortune. I don’t mind waiting.”

  “No, plus you need the clothes and if you want to work here, you will need some new clothes,” Quinn said, pulling another dress off the hanger.

  “Work here? Are you kidding?” Haven put her hand on Quinn’s arm. “You’re going to give me a job? A real job?” Haven wanted to cry. Tears started to fall down her face.

  “Oh, honey, don’t cry. You may hate working here. You may realize you hate clothes or me,” Quinn said, smiling.

  “Never. I could never hate any of you. I can’t believe how my life has changed. I never thought I would ever have my own job.” Haven sat on the stool and stared in the mirror. “I thought I would end up locked into that coven. Lost. To be honest, I don’t think I could take it anymore. I would rather die than go back to that life.”

  “Well, you don’t have to. You live with us now and you have real friends and family who love you and will take care of you,” Quinn said, pushing another dress in her hands. “Now, take that off and try this one. I think you will love this one even more.”

  Haven pushed the tears from her face as her two new friends closed the door behind them. Friends and family, two words she never thought she would say together.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Do it again. She couldn’t have disappeared,” Laris yelled at his coven members.

  “We did it three times and we are picking up nothing. Not even a slight glimmer in the spell. I don’t know how she’s doing it but she’s blocking us,” Presley insisted.

  “Then she has to be close by to do that. We just need to keep trying until she thinks she’s lost us. She will relax enough that she can’t keep that shield up. I would say she is getting comfortable where ever she is, and she will let it down and we will find her,” Laris said, pushing the curtain back so he could look out the hotel window.

  Where did she go? They stayed in the same area next to the truck stop waiting to see if Haven came back. She was a scared mouse. He’d made sure she would be that way. Her fear fed his power over her. Why would she leave him?

  “Oh, and the guy who is in charge of the trucks is still off. He won’t be back until Wednesday. That’s the only person we haven’t spoken to yet,” Blair said, flipping through a magazine.

  “Here is her brush she left behind. Go make yourself useful and do a finding spell on my daughter,” Laris said, throwing the brush on the bed beside Blair. He had already tried, but just like when he tried finding Greer, he got nothing. None of this made sense to him. The finding spell should have worked on Haven. Where would she have gone?

  Her brother was close, but she had no clue he existed, and she wouldn’t stay where they were anyway. He’d put the fear of god into her about shifters and how they hunted humans. She could run, but he would find her, and when he did, she was going to pay for leaving.

  Blair huffed as she slammed the door, leaving the hotel room. “That girl has a lot of anger issues,” Presley said behind him.

  “That she does, but you can’t deny the talent she has, and we need her to complete the spell when we find Greer,” Laris said, watching as Blair left.

  “You don’t think Haven would go to New Hope where her brother is do you? We don’t need the Death Hunters anywhere near us.”

  “No, she’s too weak to be around shifters. The whole town is part of a pack or clan. She would be too nervous around them. She will turn up. The money will run out soon. She didn’t take too much, and I know she doesn’t know how to take care of herself. We will find her, or she will find her way back to me,” Laris said, sitting in the chair.

  “Sure, about that?”

  “Of course. Even if the spell does wear off, she has no clue what she is and will never call that beast out. She’s too meek and scared of her own shadow.”

  “I just hope we find her soon before he does.” Presley went back to the TV and flipped channels. Laris knew they needed to find Haven fast. He needed her if the Death Hunters found them. He would use her if he needed too. He had lost his pawn.

  Chapter Twelve

  Unable to stay away from her long, Cosmo made his way to the store. He had wasted enough time. Hopefully Lennox would have moved on to something else. He acted like a hound dog on a hot trail. He glanced in the window looking for Haven but didn’t see her. He knew they were still here because they wouldn’t have left him, and Lennox stood beside the counter.

  Cosmo walked in but still didn’t see her. Searching around the corner, he found what he was looking for. “I love that one the best.” Quinn clapped.

  Haven stood in front of a mirror, twirling around and around. “You said that about the last fifty I tried on.”

  “But you look good in all of them,” Jade said. “Now turn around and let me see how the bracelet looks with the outfit.”

  As soon as Haven turned, he almost fell to his knees. She was breathtaking. The dress a navy blue with white little flowers, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  “Jade, I can’t take that. I’m drawing the line. I will buy one once I get paid,” Haven insisted.

  “No, you won’t. It’s a gift and you don’t give back gifts. You can only take them back if you don’t like them. Do you not like it?”

  “Of course, I do,” Haven said, staring at the bracelet. She must have seen him gawking at her when she glanced up.

  She swallowed hard as he stared at her. God, he wanted her, and he didn’t care what her brother did to him. The giggling pulled his attention away from his mate. That’s what she was and no matter how much he
tried to deny it, it wouldn’t make the reality disappear. Jade and Quinn were giggling but his best friend and alpha wasn’t. In fact, he was giving him the death stare. Oh, he had seen it numerous times but not toward him.

  “Can I get some help?” An older woman tapped him on the shoulder.

  “Sure, yes, ma’am.” Cosmo glanced back at her as he walked with the woman toward the wall where Jade had a lot of her purses hanging.

  “I can’t reach the one I want. It’s the blue and gray one.” The woman pointed at what she wanted. Cosmo reached up and touched a bag. “This one.” The woman giggled when his attention was across the room. “No sweetie the blue and gray one.” Jerking his head back toward the woman, he saw the blue and gray purse. “Yes, that one. She’s a very pretty young woman,” she said, smiling at him.

  Nodding, Cosmo handed the purse to her. “Yes, ma’am, she is.”

  “Thank you again, handsome,” the woman said, winked, and walked off.

  He watched as she went to the counter to pay for her purse. “Now, we talk,” Lennox growled, motioning him outside. What the hell would he say? They walked out the back of the store. “Why do you keep looking at Haven?”

  “I…haven’t seen her in a long time.”

  “Try again.” Shaking his head, Lennox leaned against the railing to the stairs leading up to the apartment.

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “Tell me the truth.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Don’t you fucking lie to me, Cosmo. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me, now.”

  “I think your sister is my mate.” Cosmo spit out lowering his eyes. He knew Lennox was about to explode.

  “You think? This isn’t something you can decide at a later date. Either she is, or she isn’t.”

  “She is, but—”

  “Look, Cosmo, she isn’t one of your bimbos you can play around with then throw out when you’re done. This is my sister were talking about.”