Chapter 1 ✓

“Hey, Danny,” Beau said, sticking his head into my room. I laughed at his bed head, his light brown hair sticking up in all directions. Obviously, he just woke up. He ignored my laughter and threw me the phone. I caught it with no struggle. “Darren’s on the phone.”

“Okay, thanks cous,” I shouted as he walked down the hall. I put the phone to my ear and smiled, “Hello?”

“Hey Danny,” Darren replied out of breath, sounding worried.

“What, Darren? You know this is like the third time you called today. I know you miss me and all, but let’s face it, you’re becoming too overprotective. I’m fine. I’m definitely stronger now. Stop getting your panties in a twist and stop worrying about me. I miss – “

“Shut up,” he growled seriously. My mouth snapped shut, knowing what he was about to say was serious.

“Dar, is everything okay?” I said, sitting up on my bed.

I heard a door shut on his end and hushed whispers. “Darren, what’s going on?” I asked again, this time screaming as the talking on his end became louder.

“Danny, listen and listen good,” he said, getting to a quieter part of the room. “Jarred just got attacked and he’s in critical condition. He wants you here. You’re his best friend. In fact, all of us need you here. So, I suggest you get packing and take the next flight down here.”

This time, I stood up and paced around my room.  “What? What happened?” I gasped, pulling a shaky hand through my dark hair. This wall all too much to digest. I started imagining the worst-case scenarios in my head. “Is Jarred okay?”

“We’re all not okay,” Darren’s voice trembled at the end. I clutched the phone tighter, knowing what he was going to say next would top the cake. There was a moment of silence before Darren let out a sob. “Mom’s dead.”

It took a while to fully understand what he was saying. Finding words to respond to a declaration like that was difficult. I could feel myself slipping into the same numb feeling I felt when my dad died fourteen months earlier. All I could hear were the sounds of Darren’s choked sobs and a feminine voice soothing him.

This couldn’t be happening! I just talked to my mother a day ago! I enjoyed the sound of her tinkling laughter when I told her that Beau's cooking was a disaster. I enjoyed the lame joke that she shared. The sound of her voice alone was comforting. It made me feel as if I were home.

Now she was gone.

“Danny, we’ve just been attacked an hour ago. Mom – mom – she took the bullet for me,” Darren continued, trying to keep an even tone. “The doctors told me it would be a miracle if she still lived, so I’m assuming that she – that she –“

He couldn’t finish his sentence. My heart dropped into my aching stomach. “I’m sorry, Danny. It’s my fault again. It’s my fault that both of our parents died. I’m so, so – “

At the other end of the phone, I heard the slam of a door and a voice that sounded a whole lot like Jarred’s own. He shouted something that was too muffled to decipher.

“What?” Darren asked in shock. He choked and started to cry again. “What? Are you lying to me?”

Jarred’s voice sounded clearer now as he responded to Darren’s questions.

“Dar,” I shouted into the phone, knitting my eyebrows together in worry. “Darren, what the hell is going on?”

I kept yelling his name into the phone, waiting for his response, but all I heard was the door slamming shut again and a different voice coming from the other end. I felt tears well up in my eyes as I recognized the voice.

“Hey, D, your brother went to go check on your mom,” Jarred said soothingly as I began to cry. “Calm down, Danny.”

“Jarred, w-what’s going on?”

“Calm down. Your mom is fine. She’s still alive, Danny!” Again, I couldn’t find the right words to respond as my shoulders slumped and my eyes shut in relief. I began to smile and cry in happiness and appreciation that my mother was still alive. “Darren went to go check up on her. She made it. The doctor took the wolfsbane-laced bullet out just in time for her quick werewolf healing abilities to kick in. She’s fine, Danny. She’s just sick and needs to be treated for a couple of weeks.”

“Wolfsbane-laced bullet?” I asked in shock remembering the bullets that were found in the guns my dad had stored in his warehouse.

“Oh, Danny, Danny, Danny. You really are a poor wolf. You can’t see the hunters that are hidden in the dark?”

I shivered at the memory of his words, the way he tortured Stacey and my mom, and the way he hated my kind with a passion. Everything started to click together now. Once again, I hated myself for being the reason behind all of it. They wanted me and since they couldn’t find me, they were physically hurting the ones I loved. They knew they were my weak spot. I couldn't help the sudden surge of anger that ignited in me.

“Jarred, I’m coming home,” I declared, feeling the canines itch out of my gums and my wolf moving underneath my tight skin.

“Coming home, Danny?” Jarred whispered. I could hear the shuffling of his feet. “Are you sure that’s a great idea? Wes is still hurt about the whole break up and he’s still – “

“I’ll deal with it. Right now, my mom is my main priority.”

“Okay, I’ll call you back later to plan it out. Right now, I have to deal with Alpha duties,” Jarred said in a rush as I heard the door open on the other end. “Bye, Danny.”

“Bye, Jar.”

I’ve kept in touch with Jarred ever since I’ve left Huntstown. Ever since then, we’ve still been as close as we were when I was still there. Jarred has and always will be considered a brother to me. He was there when I told him about how I learned to use my hands to heal things. Yes, I was a hand healer, but I haven’t perfected it yet. He shared my happiness with me. He was also there when I experienced the most painful heartbreak I had ever experienced five months ago.

My heart constricted again at the memories.

It was the first time I’ve ever felt my heart literally breaking into a million of pieces. It felt as if a cobra wrapped itself around my chest, squeezing the life out of me as I panted for more air. I remember the piercing screams mixed with the howls of my wolf that emitted from my chest. My body felt like it was on fire. I remember Beau and my other relatives surrounding me as I curled in on myself, willing for the pain to stop. It was an hour later that I stayed on the ground, limp and lifeless with tears running down my cheeks.

My mate had made love to another woman.

Jarred was pissed off and drove down for the weekend to cheer me up. He was about to beat the crap out of Weston when he heard the news, but Jade – Jarred’s mate and Weston’s sister – stopped the two of them from getting into a fight. Darren had found out and ever since then, ignored Weston’s existence. Both Crescent Pack and Stone Pack were mad at Weston for doing what he did. Weston shrugged it off.

I still love him and I guess that was what hurt the most.

Every now and then, I would feel the familiar burn in my chest. It occurred so many times already that my wolf learned to take it lightly and eventually, we both got used to it. She was hurt, but she did not abandon me. If anything, she wanted to help me get stronger. Therefore, she helped dim the pain every time he would make love to another woman.

The memory caused me to touch my Crescent Shaped mark that sat where my neck met my right shoulder. A tear rolled down my cheek. I missed him, but I knew he didn’t miss me.

I quickly wiped away my tear when I heard a knock on the door. Beau stuck his head inside, his hazel eyes showed concerned. I knew he wasn’t going to leave me alone until I told him what happened.

He was as stubborn as I was.

“Just to let you know, I was eavesdropping,” Beau said quietly and sat on the couch in my room. “You already know me - nosy.”

Beau Wrode was nineteen - just like me. He hadn’t found his mate yet, but he couldn’t wait to find her. I knew that whoever his mate was was extremely lucky. He’d treat her like a queen and would cherish her and spoil her.

Beau was a Healer of the Wounded, meaning he could only heal cuts and bruises. He was stronger than I was in many ways – including his senses, agility, and energy. He's been training me ever since we first met and because of him, I was a better Healer now.

“I’m coming with you whether you like it or not,” Beau declared.

“I have no problem with that, Beau. There was just one thing. They’re not too fond of Healers.”

“You mean, the prick isn’t too fond of Healers,” Beau growled, directing it towards Weston. “I don’t care what he thinks, Danny. I just want to be there for Auntie Ella and you. That dickhead doesn’t deserve satisfaction.”

Beau knew everything about me. That included my heavy past about Huntstown, Michigan. He knew about Warren. He knew about Jarred. He knew about who were supposed to be mated to each other. He knew about my friendship with everyone in Huntstown.

I wasn’t overly excited to go back to Huntstown. Reuniting with my friends, my brother, and my mom made me all giddy inside. I missed them so much that I couldn’t wait to see them. There was just one thing I wasn’t so sure about.

My mate.

He would probably be mad at me for coming home. He’d probably not allow me to be on his territory. Whatever he’d do, I wasn’t too happy to see the man that broke my heart and the mate that I thought was perfect. I really don’t know where this reunion may lead to, but I was about to find out soon enough.

“Then, you better start packing because we’re leaving first thing in the morning,” I sighed, grabbing the dusty luggage at the back of my closet.