Hidden Killers: Hunters in the Wind (Book 2)

25 - Jason POV

Earlier that day...

I am sitting in the woods with Nicole outside the Stanton family home. Abby and Colt were currently in London for Gabe's trial and meeting the other Alphas and Lunas.

I was currently waiting for Helen to leave the house. Edward, or Mr. Stanton, as he wanted us to call him, had left earlier. What was surprising was the fact that his attire looked a lot like Hunter gear. It could be a coincidence, but there was only one way to find out - getting back in that house.

Finally, we watch as Helen exits the front door and starts making her way towards the pub.

"Took her long enough." Nicole huffs as she sits on a tree root, resting her back against the trunk.

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep watch and let me know if anyone comes unexpectedly." She gives me a salute as I leave her behind, making my way stealthily across the field towards the house.

You don't need to run like that across the field. Just do it normally. Nicole chastises me over the mind link. I only roll my eyes in response as I reach the front door, using the spare key they hid under the rock nearby before letting myself in.

The kitchen was my first port of call. More specifically, the knife rack. Examining all of the knives, I take note that each one of them is silver. In fact, all of the sharp objects in the kitchen were.

You can get silver kitchenware, but it was very uncommon.

I decided to investigate other rooms, trying to think of places I hadn't looked at when I stayed here before. Cabinets and cupboards were turned out, searched, and refiled once I turned up nothing.

Frustration was getting the better of me - apart from the knives in the kitchen, there was nothing conclusive.

Nicole, I'm not getting much here. I only have the loft left to check then I'm calling it here.

She gives me a quick response as I make my way to the loft hatch on the landing. Opening it, I jump up and grip onto the edges, using my upper body strength to pull me inside the dark space.

"Light switch. Light switch." I mutter to myself before I clock it in the corner by the hatch opening.

Almost wished I hadn't found it. When the lights flicked on, I was surrounded by hundred of boxes.

"Abby, you're family are hoarders." I sigh in annoyance as I scan the area around me, wondering where on Earth I was going to start.

I decide to skip the ones I could see were Christmas decorations and start on the right hand side of the loft first, making my way across to the left.

The first boxes had old school books and trophies. Will have to ask Abby about some of these later.

The next one - photo albums. I couldn't help but smile at them. They were of a young version of the Stantons both here and on holiday. Young Abby looked like a right troublemaker.

Halfway through, no success, apart from a few things to call Abby up on that she may find embarrassing.

I was about to open another box when something caught my eye in the corner of the loft, tucked away in the darkness.

It was a small black box with a lock on it that was trying to hide itself out of view. If there was ever a box that looked suspicious, this would be it.

I shuffle across the loft and pull it out of its hiding space. Toying with the lock, brute force was deemed as the best course of action. It made a satisfying snapping sound as it came apart.

Inside, there were folders and notebooks galore. But, I could feel my heart pounding as I saw the folders labelled as 'Confidential'.

Opening up the first folder, my eyes widen as suspicions were confirmed. It contained information about the death of the former Blood Moon leaders years ago, resulting in Xavier taking control and going on his rampage. Did he start that?

I could only see a kill order for it, but not who dealt the final blow.

Still, this was the first concrete proof that tied it all together - Edward Stanton was a Hunter.

I scan through the next one - abduction orders for a... DOUGLAS MCGRAW! As in Adelaide and Maeve!?

Maybe this was the secret they could not tell. Frantically, I flip through the pages of what appeared to be a contract.

The Denast Coven is to bound by silence to not speak of the Hunter clan, any of its members or their activities. Breaking this will subject the witch/wizard to torture. Failure to comply with the Hunter's orders will result in deaths.

My hands shook in a mixture of rage and sadness. Adelaide and Maeve lost their dad and couldn't do or say anything about it. The whole Denast Coven had to serve as the Hunter's slaves.

There was one more folder I could see in the box. Already dreading what horror it may say inside, I gingerly open it. The photo inside causes my eyes to open in shock.

Mum?

Details on the page sent chills down my spine. Every word matching what I was told about who she was. Why was she in the box? The answer was not too far away as I read the mission statement.

Irene Jones has failed to provide us with any useful information to help take down White Crescent. She has become too fixated on the loss of her mate and her unborn child. All ties are to be cut.

I let it fall to the floor. They used her. Against her own pack. Oh, mum. Was the bond really that strong?

One thought came to the front of my mind - mum was pregnant with me when they were using her.

I look at the note books. They all had dates on them, written in Edward's, for when they had been written in. There was only one that I cared about at this point in time - the one labeled 2000-2001.

Flicking through, I try to find any page that mentions my mum.

And I found it - December 7th 2000. I took a sharp inhale before reading.

I was on mission last night- needed to get away from Helen (her mood swings are crazy). Went hunting for supernaturals when I came across a she wolf who said I was her mate. Told her I knew of her race due to a friend and asked what pack she was from. She was gullible enough to believe me - White Crescent the reply. Finally, a way in to destroy them from inside. I need to gain her trust to destroy the wolves, once and for all.

My eyes studied the words over and over, checking and double checking that I had read them right. Edward was my mother's mate, and he is writing around the time of my conception.

Could this mean?

No! I won't let myself think that far ahead without proof. I put everything back I the box and bring it with me as I lower myself down from the loft. Before I leave, I make my way into the master bedroom and grab a comb with short blonde and grey hair entangled in it - Edward's.

Pocketing a few in some tissue, I leave the house and race over to Nicole to gather my bike.

"Can't talk now! Urgent!" She stares at me dumbfounded as I roar off down the road to the packhouse, marching straight to Dr Moss.

"I need you to test the DNA on this hair against mine."

"And hello to you too, Jason." He looks up from his desk at me. "Why the urgency?"

"Becuase I think a Hunter might be my dad."