Hunter and the Hart

What's next? Witches!?

Johnny and I were ushered through the enormous building to an office in the back hall of the third floor. The equally large man who had led us here stood in a corner as we were directed to chairs in front of an empty desk. I felt like a child getting sent to the principal's office. My heart hammered in my chest as I repeated my revelation in my head again and again. Werewolves are real. Werewolves are real! 

The door opened behind me, and an aura of authority flooded the room. I took a breath, pulling my shoulders back and unrolling myself. I rubbed my face slightly, willing my eyes to focus properly as a body dropped into the chair on the other side of the desk. I pulled my hands back, tying my hair in a loose ponytail as the man who brought us here left. Johnny fidgeted in his chair, obviously uncomfortable.

"So, I heard about what happened this evening from Jenny." The man's voice was even, obviously displeased. "Now, I want you to tell me your side. You know better than to behave like that, Johnathan. So the fact that you did leads me to believe that something happened that Jenny doesn't know. I'd like you to tell me now, while I'm asking nicely."

Johnny swallowed harshly before telling the man behind the desk about the wolf in the alley. I could feel him staring at the side of my face. I turned to him with a small smile, nodding slightly. "There's something else, Alpha." Johnny leaned forward on his knees, rubbing his knuckles. "From the moment I ran into her on the street, my wolf has had this weird need to protect her. She's not my mate, I know that, but my wolf has an attachment to her. And the rogue was threatening her. He wouldn't stand for it. If the rogue hadn't surrendered and left, my wolf might have taken over completely."

"Tell me, miss." The Alpha turned his eyes to me, now. "Why did the rogue want you?" He leaned forward, propping his chin on his fist.

"I don't know." I kept my voice level, and never looked in his eyes. Pack animals are defensive, canines especially so. I knew that a wolf, especially an Alpha who is already unsure if I'm a threat, would take meeting his eyes as a challenge. And I would never win that fight. Especially on their territory. 

"How did you catch his attention, then?" His frustration was starting to leak through his voice.

"We were walking, and a horde of mice ran from the alley. I looked down to see what they were running from. He saw me at the same time. That was it." I started twisting my ring, a gift from dad when I turned fifteen. It was a small silver band with six embedded stones. One for everyone in the family. He furrowed his brows slightly, tapping his thumb against his chin.

A knock sounded at the door, the sound jarring in the quiet office. "Alex, I brought some tea. Can I come in?" A soft female voice floated in through the door, tugging at the edge of my memory.

"Of course, love." His voices softened in a way that I hadn't expected, and I took the opportunity to breathe before the questions started again.

"Elissa?" My whole body jerked, and I spun quickly to see who it was that knew my name. I never told anyone my full name. Not even Cara knew it, there was no way that a stranger would.

But the woman in the doorway wasn't a stranger. I blinked quickly, a disbelieving laugh bubbling through my chest. "Clarissa?" I stood eagerly as she set the tea on the small corner table by the door. "What are you doing here?" We hugged in that way that crushes your chest and feels like it pulls your soul back into place.

"Me? I live here. That's my husband." She motioned to the Alpha behind the desk, who looked absolutely baffled. 

"So this is the Alex you were always gushing about?" I smiled at her playfully, and her husband blushed slightly, shaking his head.

"Really? She used to gush about me?" He didn't seem to believe it, and I just laughed.

"Oh, she probably still does, but we lost contact a few years ago. We both got new phones, and never got each other's number." I bumped Clarissa with my shoulder.

She smiled playfully and bumped me back. "So, are you on your way to Grandma Mirabelle's for your ascension ceremony?"

I froze, glancing quickly between her and the the men at the desk. "What?"

"Oh, they know, Elissa." She waved her hand, a small gust of wind taking two of the four coffee mugs and depositing them in the hands of Johnny and Alex. 

"Oh." I mentally facepalmed. Really? That was the best I could come up with?

"Yeah, Alex has known since we met. He was caught up in a fight, and I saved his life. Mom wasn't happy, but then she hasn't been happy about anything in years. Aunt Ava seemed iffy about it, but Aunt Kat actually ended up cutting all contact with me because of it." She shrugged.

"Wait, Mama did?" I stared at Clarissa in disbelief. The memory of mom's reaction the one time I'd mentioned werewolves flickered across my mind again. "Do.....do you know why?" The question came out as more of a whisper, and I instantly regretted asking. Or rather, for not asking Mama when I had the chance.

"No. Aunt Kat never told anyone. But from what I know, it all started after your eight year ceremony." Clarissa wrapped her arm around me, rubbing my shoulder in a comforting way. "I wasn't there for that, because I was with my dad's family in Seattle. What happened?" 

I blinked rapidly, shaking my head slightly. "I don't know. I remember getting out of the car with Mama and A-," I cleared my throat forcing my anger back into the crevices of my mind. "Aunt Ava, and the next thing I knew Mama was waking up in the back of the car with her arguing with dad about moving."

"Well, it was a long time ago." Clarissa jostled my shoulder. "It's already impressive that you remember even that much." 

I tried to focus as she left my shoulder to talk to Alex. Everything was spinning. I reached for the back of the chair, but I missed, and before I'd even hit the ground everything went black. In the darkness there was only pain, like razor blades running from the back of my neck to my hip. The black wolf.