Hunted

Chapter 16: Her Brother's Keeper

Savannah

Everyone was supposed to go to the Alpha’s mates memorial service today. He didn’t make it mandatory but it might as well have been. I really didn’t see a reason for anyone wanting me there. I was only a toddler when Alpha Lorraine ran away. She left not long after my dad had gone missing again. He went crazy after my mom was killed in an accident shortly after our younger brother Brandon was born. Or so I’m told anyway. After my dad went missing we were raised by his sister. My Aunt Caroline is a lovely person and only wanted the best for us. Which is why since we were able to really do anything she made sure we knew what our purpose was going to be. We were going to be better than our father and we were going to rule or help rule this pack.

Aunt Caroline knew that there was the potential the Alpha’s child would come back and claim her birth right but there was also the possibility that the child wouldn’t come home. She wanted us to be prepared for both outcomes. If I’m being honest the only outcome I wanted was to see  my brother become Alpha and I sit right beside as always as his Beta. It made the most sense. We didn’t need some outsider who didn’t grow up here, that knew nothing of our way of life trying to govern us.

It just didn’t seem right. Of course this all changed when Emmry showed up one day. I still had some hope left that she wouldn’t shift and Colton would become Alpha and everything would be right with the world. That is until I realized that the girl was his mate, so he would be the Alpha but not in the same way. He’d be the Alpha’s mate which of course gave him the title but he couldn’t hold the power…that is if they allowed her to have the power since she didn’t shift.

There were so many possibilities and calculations that it made my head spin. I told my Aunt Caroline as soon as I had gotten home that night about Colton and I couldn’t tell if she was excited or pissed. Her face went blank and she nodded at me. She thanked me for the information and then went outside to wait for my brother to come home. I have no idea what was said that night but Colton stopped staying at our house.

My best guess is that he and Aunt Caroline had a fight. This wasn’t the first time and it wasn’t going to be the last but Colton always came home. Well…at least he had always done so before.

That’s why I ended up at the stupid memorial. I wanted to see my brother and I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist being close to his mate. I had heard he still hadn’t told her about any of it yet. Though our friends told me he started hanging out with her and her cousin Hope. He was trying to get to know her. I guess I couldn’t blame him but seriously why keep her in the dark?

I shook my head and leaned against the tree. I was earlier than everyone else because I wanted to make sure once I found Colton I didn’t lose sight of him. He arrived right before Emmry and her father. He stood away from everyone else. Slowly I made my way towards him.

“Funny seeing you here Colton.” I whispered pushing against his shoulder.

“I could say the same about you Savvy. I didn’t think you’d come even if they paid you.” Colton looked over at me. I was just about as tall as him I could be taller in the right set of heels.

“Well I came to see you. You haven’t come home in weeks.” I sighed.

“I’m staying with Daniel for now.” He shrugged and looked back towards the crowd. His eyes were trained on Emmry.

“Why haven’t you told her?” I asked genuinely curious.

“She doesn’t feel it at all. Can you imagine if I just one day said to her. Oh hey you know that mate thing. We’ve got it. I’m in love with you and I don’t even know your middle name. Doesn’t that sound completely insane?” Colton sighed and shook his head.

“Well it would only sound insane to someone who didn’t grow up a shifter. I get what you mean though. I still think she deserves to know. But that’s just me.” I shrugged. “I don’t remember Alpha Lorraine. Do you?” I turned my head towards Colton.

“Dad carried her picture around in his wallet or pocket till the day he went missing the second time.” Colton said. “He never really talked about her or would answer the questions I had. Honestly I didn’t really remember who she was until I saw Emmry in the light. She looks just like her.”

I didn’t know that our father carried a picture…”What…why did he have her picture?” I asked him.

“No clue. He never would tell me. After he came back that first time, you remember? He was crazy. Stayed long enough to do some damage and then he went missing again. It’s rather…well its rather weird.” Colton shrugged.

“Have you..well have you told anyone about this?” I was starting to get worried. What did he mean by all of this.

“No. I’m…well that’s why I haven’t come home. I was going to talk to Alpha David about it…about all of it. I came home after that bonfire to tell Aunt Caroline I wasn’t hiding any secrets anymore. She didn’t agree with me.” Colton tightened the grip he had on his hands.

“I…I didn’t know…I just I actually thought you fought about her.” I glanced towards Emmry. She was crying now and Colton took a step forward.

I wrapped my arm through his and pulled him back.

“If you don’t want her to question why you’re around her going to her now isn’t going to help. Let her father support her.” I said sternly holding him to the spot the best I could.

“You just don’t understand. It hurts to see her in pain.” Colton himself sounded like he was in pain.

He was wrong though. I understood what it meant to watch someone you loved in pain. I watched it all the time.

We stood there my arm around his and watched as Emmry walked up and looked around. She looked like a lost puppy. I could tell that Colton wanted to run in there and save her but I held him tight. This wasn’t the time for him to go save her. She needed to work to save herself through this first. When he was ready to tell her the truth then he could go to her but he needed to wait. We watched everyone place a flower on the grave and then head towards the pack house. There was supposed to be a huge party. As Emmry and her father turned to leave it started to rain.

“Son of a bitch.” I growled as Colton and I ran towards his car. I jumped in the passenger seat and cursed some more.

“This is a very nice dress and I actually liked my hair today.” I grumbled fussing trying to find anything to dry myself with in his car.

“There might be napkins in the glove box.” Colton laughed while looking at me. I rolled my eyes at him and then threw a few at his face. I love my brother, very much and would do anything for him.

The party went like any shifter memorial I’d ever been too. Everyone got very intoxicated which takes a lot for shifters. Emmry and her cousin had been sitting on the porch for awhile. I stuck to Colton’s side to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid. It was pretty typical, they drank, they ate, there were two fights over random things and then it was time to head home.

We were just about out the door when we heard a scream from upstairs. Colton’s eyes flashed and there was nothing I could do to hold him back.

“Of course!” I groaned and followed my brother up the stairs. Shortly behind me was the Alpha, Beta, and family.

I followed Colton into Emmry’s room and saw her sitting on the floor with a flower in her hand along with a note.

Colton went over to her speaking softly. “Emmry…are you hurt?” He knelt down and went to touch her shoulder when she jumped nearly to the ceiling and right back into the wall.

“No no please stay away from me.” In the process of jumping away Emmry had sent the note flying. Lucky for me it landed right by my feet. As I was leaning down to pick it up the Beta beat me to it and grabbed it.

“Thank you Savannah for checking on my Niece but I think you and your brother should go home.” I sighed and straightened back up.

“Come on Colton.” I went to go to him and he wouldn’t budge.

“I’m not leaving.” He said quietly his eyes never leaving Emmry. The girl was full on sobbing at this point and looked absolutely terrified.

“You are scaring her come on.” I started to drag him towards the door.

“Savannah. I’m not leaving till I know what happened.” He growled at me. The sound of his growl made Emmry jump again.

Alpha David turned to us his eyes were starting to turn black. “Colton I suggest you get a hold of yourself or you will leave my house.” The commanding tone of the Alpha seeped through and Colton simply nodded.

Alpha David slowly walked up to his daughter crouching down so he was at her level.

“Emmry…honey…can you tell me what happened? Why are you so scared?” The Alpha’s voice was just above a whisper.

“He’s back…it’s happening again.” Emmry repeated over and over gripping the flower in her hand. “I thought..I thought he was gone..I thought it was done…” The girl looked up at her dad.

“He found me again. I don’t want to have to leave.”

What Emmry did next surprised everyone she jumped into her father’s arms and started to sob. I could tell Alpha David was shocked but he held his daughter tightly and started to soothe her.

I felt Alpha David open up the mind link I want the area searched. Use the note to see if you can track a sent. I want whoever is threatening my daughter found now. Do you understand me?

We all nodded and I turned to leave the room. “Colton you can’t help her here. You can help her by finding the shifter who scared her. Okay?” I tried to reason with him. He stared at her for what seemed like an hour before he agreed and we both left with the Beta to come up with a plan.