Madeline.
It's been two months since I decided I was coming home. Am I two months too late? Eli told me he found his mate. I don't know how honest he is being, since he doesn't have a Luna, nor does he have a mark. Whether or not that part is true, it is clear he no longer harbors romantic feelings for me. All these years away, and I am still mateless, and all I think of is Eli. His love for me was so strong that he was willing to make me his chosen mate. At the time, I was scared because we were so young. What if he found his true mate soon after we marked each other? I wasn't willing to go through that pain or watch him suffer. Even though he promised to reject his and I, mine.
I called home and spoke to his mother at least twice a month. She assured me there was still a place beside him waiting for me. I never spoke to him because I knew if I did, I would end my studies early and come back. Something I didn't want to do. I promised my mother, on my father, I would get a great education that would benefit not only me but the pack one day. My father was the Beta of our pack once. He was killed alongside the Alpha, Eli's father, when I was still in my mother's whom. I was going to honor my father by keeping my promise to my mother. I did just that, but at what cost? The love of my life? I am twenty-five. I know there is no mate for me out there or in our pack. There is only Eli, and he claims to be mated. Something isn't right. Why would his mother tell me just last week it was ok to come home? Why would she say she was tired and needed someone worthy of being Luna to take over already?
"Earth to the were-princess?" His scruffy voice breaks my chain of thought. Goddess, I can't stand humans; even when they look as good as Jared. I spent years beside them in school but never really grew attached or interested in anyone.
I glared at him from the passenger seat. He seems to be a nice family guy. All he ever talks about is his son Alex and girlfriend Stacey. I think that is her name. They seem to be going through a rough patch, being she is seeing another guy, or so he suspects she is. He apparently picked up this gig to support them. She didn't want to be with him because he didn't have money. He makes her sound like such a spoiled brat. I wonder why he even wants to be with her still if that is the case. How do I know all of this? Well, he is human, and one thing humans are- is selfish. All they talk about is themselves. To be fair, he does ask about me, and I am very, very vague. Why in the world would I trust a shifter hunter with anything? All he knows is my name, and I am a werewolf. Which honestly, is more than he needs to know.
"What's on that beautiful mind of yours?" He teases.
"Not you, that's for sure." I growl.
"Hey, quiet down, chihuahua." He laughs.
"Really a chihuahua?"
"Yeah, all bark and no bite." He smirks. The asshole. He always teases me this way.
At first, I thought he had a crush on me. You know, the kid who pulls your pigtails in kindergarten because he thinks you're cute. Then, he wouldn't stop talking about his son and his girlfriend. So that theory went out the window. He just seems to be a very outspoken and friendly guy. Sometimes, I associate him with a little brother. Siblings tease and fight each other all the time. We definitely fight a lot. On our first day meeting, I remember kicking him in the balls and him twisting my arm behind my back and pinning me to the floor by sitting on me. As partners, we also take care of each other during our assignments. Yet, I still feel like I can't trust him and can't stand him. He's a man responsible for the disappearance and death of so many of my species. How can I?
"So, did you get any useful info from your pack?"
"No." I grunt.
"Damn." The cracking and hissing of a can of ginger ale makes me roll my eyes. He chugs it and tosses the empty can into the back seat as he relaxes into his.
"I know." I pouted. "The only thing I know is that they are entertaining all neighboring Alphas and Lunas tonight."
"What?!" He sits up quickly. He reaches over for the stack of files we have on the dashboard. "Alphas....alphas." He mumbles as he searches through the stack. He pulls out three files and drops them into my lap.
"Any of these guys present?"
"I mean, I didn't see the roster, but I can let you know who's most likely to attend if anything."
I search through them. The first file is Alpha Clayton Wright. He is being targeted by shifter hunters because he is secretly turning humans into werewolves to increase his pack's numbers. It states that all humans went willingly, but still, that was unethical. Even in werewolves' law, it is not allowed. I can guess that at the very least eighty-five percent of those humans died in transformation. I'm sure no one knows about his crimes because the council would never let it slide. I wonder if it's true. It does sound like some shit he would do, given his personality.
The next file, Ethan Briggs. I am surprised. Ethan is Eli's younger brother. At eighteen, he was named Alpha of his pack. His father is beta. After being Alpha for seven years at our pack, his father moved to Redwoods Pack with Ethan to be with his true mate. They had no beta. So, the Alpha thought it wise to choose a fellow alpha to be his Beta. Their Alpha had no heir, his wife was baren. The Alpha retired, age fifty-five, passing the role down to Ethan. It was a big win for Ethan. Unfortunately, at eighteen, he also suffered a great loss. His mate, a human, had stage four breast cancer. She was diagnosed shortly after they met. They gave her three months to live. Desperate, Ethan against everyone's advice and even his mate's wishes decided he would turn her. He hoped her new wolf would help her heal. Cancer was unknown to us in the werewolf community. The plan backfired when his mate's body was too weak from battling the cancer to withstand the transformation. He was flagged by the council and apparently now the shifter hunters for his actions. Having to return her human remains back to the humans must have notified them of the act. No doubt his mark was on her neck when they received it. My suspicions are confirmed when I flip to the back of his file to find pictures of her corpse on an autopsy table. I slap the folder shut and move it aside. My skin prickled with goosebumps.
I read the name on the last file, and my wolf immediately surfaces. Before I can react out of rage and fully shift, my neck begins to burn intensely. Jared is quick for a newbie. He holds a silver blade to my neck.
"Looks like this pup had more bite than I thought." He smiles nervously.
"Why the fuck is his file here?!"
He looks at me confused.
"I agreed to take down two of your most wanted shifters for him to be removed from your list, but you're still hunting him!" I hold up the file that read "Alpha Eli Ramono" in big red letters.
"Huh?" He drops the blade and grabs the file. "This is the file you want discarded? I only looked at it once before we partnered, but I think he is wanted for his pack being too large. If that's the case, we can easily have the boss drop him." He flings it open. His face pales at the sight of Eli. His hands slightly trembles as he places the file back on the dashboard. It's not until he speaks that I know he is shaking from anger.
"That's the guy." He forces out through gritted teeth.
"What?"
"The guy Samantha's been seeing, it's him."