Hunted

Chapter 37: We're What?!

I needed to go somewhere to think and be alone. After confirming that the shifter that had been after me all these years wasn’t…the one who murdered my mother I just needed some time. I decided to take a run in my wolf form. I still wasn’t use to it yet. I was actually terrified that I wouldn’t be able to shift again but I was surprised at how it came almost naturally. Dr. Colleen said I had finally freed my mind and was able to make the shift smoothly now.

My father inducted me into the pack so now I was able to mind line all of the members. It felt weird to be connected to so many people at one time. I don’t think I could have handled this before. I was grateful to my dad and Dr. Colleen, they had taught me so many things about how to be strong and take control of your past.

I wound up in my mother’s meadow laying in the flowers. I missed her, and I hoped that she was proud of the person I was becoming. My father decided to let my Aunt Sam run the interrogations from now on. Neither him nor I would get any benefit from standing and talking to that murder. I sighed and placed my nose on my paws. I wanted nothing more than to hear my mother talking and laughing. Being near the things she loved so much made me feel just a tiny bit closer to her.

“Emmry…” A voice called from the edge of the trees. I peaked up and saw Colton standing there. I really did not want to see him. I was not in the mood to fight with a friend today. I turn away from him and huffed. Of course he did not go away. Instead he walked closer to me and sat something down next to me. I looked over clothes. He wanted me to shift back. We could have just had a conversation through a mind link why did he need me to be in human form? I had to admit there was something different about him. I wanted to make him happy. Before I even really got control of what I was doing I started shifting back into my human form. Colton had been facing the other way. I saw him take a deep breath when he heard me pick up the clothes.

“Why did we need to do this?” I asked him slipping on the shirt.

“Are you dressed?” He asked. He sounded like a lost boy and that made me sad. I wasn’t sure why. I was mad at him. I was supposed to be mad at him.

“Yes.” I said crossing my arms over my chest. Colton turned around and I got a look at his face clearly. It was the strangest thing I had ever felt in my life. All I wanted to do was go up to him and wrap my arms around him…and well…kiss him. Why did I want to kiss my friend?! What was wrong with me? I couldn’t get the thought of it out of my head. I could just picture it. Over and over. No no no. Colton was…not even a friend. He was a lying liar who didn’t even deserve to be my friend.

“Are you okay?” Colton looked genuinely concerned. He took a step towards me and reached for my shoulders. I wanted to flinch away from him. It was my first instinct but my body did not listen. Instead it leaned forward as if to ensure that Colton’s hands made it to my shoulder. As soon as they did I felt tingles like sparks irrupt all down my arm. My eyes grew huge finally gaining control of my body I pulled away from him.

“What in the hell was that?!” I asked looking at him like he had done something to me.

“What was what?” Colton asked. It was almost as if the jerk had a smile on his face. “That feeling that tingly weird feeling when you touched me. Do you have a shock thing in your palm?” I asked reaching for his hands. The tingles spread through my fingers as I turned his hand over. “What is this?!” I called out upset. I did not  like it one bit.

Colton looked as if he was going to double over in laughter. “Why are you looking like I’m some kind of i***t!?” I asked him. What was going on with me?

“Emmry…I…well this is not how I wanted the conversation to go.” He started running his hand through his hair.

“What do you even mean? Why?! What is happening?” I was so confused and he was not giving me any answers.

“We’re mates.” He blurted out. “We…I the first time I saw you I was pretty sure…and then the first time I ever bumped into you I confirmed…the tingles you feel it’s part of our mate bond. We’re…mates. You didn’t feel anything before because your wolf spirit hadn’t arrived yet. You can feel it now.” Mates….this boy is telling me that I am his mate? We are mates? Like my mother and father? We were destined in some way to be together. That is just not possible. He was my friend.

“Mates…me and you…we’re mates?!” I couldn’t believe it. I almost didn’t want to believe it.

“Yes…I…well it was one of the reasons why I was being so weird…” He started by I interrupted him.

“Weird is a new way of calling being a total asshole.” If he was my mate how could be possibly do all those things. Oh my…he knew about me…about what happened to me. “Are you going to what tell me you don’t want to be my mate because of what happened to me?” I asked him straightening my back. I needed to hear it if that’s how this was going to go down.

“Again with the insulting my character. No Emmry I am not going to reject you. I’m so in love with you, that you can’t even imagine it. How would you feel if the person you loved was r***d, you weren’t there to protect them, and they spend most of their life stuck in this fear.” Colton’s face proved to me he was telling the truth.

“It wasn’t your fault.” I told him slowly reaching up to touch his cheek.

“I was so angry, that I wanted to hunt down and kill the shifter who did that to you. But I couldn’t leave you unprotected. He is somehow getting into your house. We don’t know how and we don’t know…well we don’t know why.” Colton sighed and looked at me.

“I forgive you for being a total ass hat. But you have a lot of making up to do…also just because we’re this ‘mates’ thing doesn’t mean I’m going to run and fall head over heels for you right away.” I gave him a look. Colton laughed and shook his head.

“If you did I would have to admit you to the hospital.” Colton gave me a big smile and took my hand. He brought it up to his lips and pressed a kiss against my fingers. “I’m going to win you over.” The shocks nearly doubled as they ran through my fingers and up my arm. I couldn’t believe I had been missing this the whole time. “You can give it your best shot.” I teased him rolling my eyes.

I was happy that I finally understood what was going on. Him being honest with me even though it took way too long gave me hope that I would be able to trust him….speaking of hope.

“Did my cousin know?” I asked looking over at Colton. The look on his face told me yes. Oh I was going to have a nice long chat with my cousin.