I'm Sorry, Who's Your Mate?

Chapter 12

            “She’s ok though, right?” I needed him to reassure me that while I’ve been gone, nothing had happened to the woman who had so dearly raised me.

            “Paige, you know I would never let anything happen to her.” I nodded, still smiling. “Now it’s my turn to ask you some questions.”

            I swallowed at his serious expression and nodded again. He asked me everything about my time being captured. Was I with them the whole three years, yes. Was I ever moved, no. Besides Ariel, were they any other girls, yes. What happened to them, I don’t know. Did the guards ever abuse me, yes. On and on it went with him asking questions and me giving answers. He was noticeably relieved when I told him I was still intact, that no one had taken away my virginity. I watched wearily when his hands started to shake violently when I told him that I had been beaten several times for various reasons. Eventually he ran out of questions and I ran out of things to tell him about my time being held captive.

            “How is Ariel? Is she ok? She made it out right?” I asked, suddenly feeling panicked about my friend.

            “Ariel is fine. We got her out and her mate is on his way.” I smiled broadly. Ariel would get her happily ever after.

            “I’m glad her mate is coming. I know it was hard for her being away from him.”

            “I know, I don’t know how I would ever survive being away from Sutton for three years.” I was stunned at the time period. I’d known we were taken for quite awhile but three years…it’s different hearing it said aloud.

            “Three years.” I murmured.

            “Three years.” He repeated, looking sad. “It was really bad the first few months. Everyone was so sad all the time. Sutton…she was almost inconsolable. It took her longer than everyone else, of course, to get back up but eventually she did.” A part of me was saddened to hear that it had hurt her so much.

            “I’m sorry. I never should have left the reception that night.” I said quietly.

            “Paige, it isn’t your fault. If anything, it’s the older generations fault. We all fought in that battle with the hunters. We made the decision to kill them, we made the decision to not pursue the ones that escaped. We brought this on, you were just an innocent bystander that got caught in the middle. It’s a mistake we won’t ever make again though.” He vowed.

            “Make again? Wait, are you saying that you’ll never go after the hunters again or that the some of the hunters escaped.” A selfish part of me hoped it was the first because there’s no way I would ever be able to feel safe if some of the people that had kept me captured for so long had gotten off free. One look at Evan’s face told me that wasn’t the case.

            “I’m sorry Paige. I guess some of them weren’t there when we attacked and when they caught wind that their compound location had been compromised they decided not to return. I promise you though that we will find them.” The serious look he gave me left little room for any doubt.