The Huntress

Chapter 46

Alex made her move first, coming up to Jared and me. She hugged first me and then leaped at her brother. I turned away to give them their brother sister moment. I smiled at Trevor and hugged him as well.

"You better keep her safe, or I'm going to have to protect you from a werewolf and Jared from a hunter. Got it?"

Trevor chuckled lightly. "Got it, and you better keep you both safe. And when you're better, teach that guy to fight."

"Oh I plan on it." I pulled back and smiled then went to my brother. I was sure he was pretty upset with me, but he was Josh. He was my brother and I knew he cared about me, and he thought he had my best interests in mind. I also wasn't sure if or when I'd see him again so I might as well leave our last meeting on a good note.

His face was stern, most definitely not happy. Then again, I was sure mine looked much the same. I hugged him, hesitated a moment before hugging back. I heard and felt his large sigh.

"You drive me beyond crazy, you know that? I just don't understand you."

"I could say the same about you," I shot back. I felt him shake his head.

"Take care of yourself, El."

"I will."

Last up was my sister. This one hurt because I'd thought she would have been on my side during this. Everything she'd said since she moved out made me think she thought the same way I did now. However, almost everything she'd said since coming here contradicted that.

Sarah smiled sadly and pulled me in for a hug. She rubbed my back, careful of my shoulder and squeezed me hard.

"I thought you of all people would understand," I whispered.

Sarah shifted uncomfortably and when we pulled back she looked shocked. I grabbed my stuff again and we went outside. I stopped when I saw the car Trevor had chosen, a Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Steel gray.

It was sleek, it was fast, but it wouldn't draw too much attention. Needless to say, I approved. I threw the bags in the back seat and Jared got behind the wheel. I ducked into the passenger side and waved as we pulled away.

It didn't feel real. There was a chance I would never see any of those people again. Half of them were family, the other half felt almost as close as family.

I shifted uncomfortably in the seat and took the gun out from my waistband. I tossed it into the glove compartment and sat back.

Jared shot me a sideways glance as I did.

"Do you want to talk about that?"

"About what?" I asked, feigning ignorance. Just a few moments to stall.

"The gun, the dagger."

I sighed and told Jared what had happened when I picked up the dagger. How every memory from each kill I'd made with my old dagger had flooded back. All the blood; too much blood, and all the death I'd been responsible for.

I just couldn't hold it; it had been too overwhelming.

He had taken my hand, listening while he drove and I felt comfort in it. It was nice to be able to talk about it.

I told him how I was afraid that the gun would result in the same thing; that every memory would rush back. A possibility that I would never be able to hold a weapon again was disconcerting.

When I was done talking we sat back quietly. I knew where we were going and I wasn't particularly comfortable with it. I only knew vague stories of Jared's old Alpha, and he didn't seem like a person I would particularly care for. I believed Jared; he was proof that not all supernaturals were bad. However, that didn't mean that I wanted to walk into a pack of werewolves, let alone one that was headed by the man that had turned Jared.