THE HYBRID'S MATE, sterek [book 01] ✔

xxi. let the nogitsune free

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐘𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃'𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘰𝘯𝘦: 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦

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𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬

One Week Later

     I SIGH. THEY ALL know I killed Kate. I know that I should have told them, but Liam had told me not to - that Liam himself would tell Derek and his Pack. I heard from Ethan that Liam twisted the story so that Derek's Pack thought that Liam had ordered me to kill Kate if necessary, and that only our own Pack knew the truth - that I killed Kate of my own free will and without a second thought.

     Derek hasn't spoken to me since that night, and I feel the pull of the Mate Bond begging for contact of sorts. Mainly physical, but what can you expect from a Werewolf and Kitsune Mate Bond? Cuddles in a goddamn park? Occasional messages of adoration? Longing and loving stares with non-verbal conversations?

     Speaking of Mate Bonds, Valerie and Peter have fully Mated. I can smell them from over a mile away, and I can smell her Pack. They have joined up with Liam's Pack, and they fit right in just as Valerie said. The Werecoyotes and Werewolves became instantaneous friends with my friends, but the Kitsune were a little more hesitant getting to know my Pack. They had no problems getting along with me, but that's due to the Kitsune part of me.

     Valerie's Pack consisted of six Kitsune, six Werewolves, and two Werecoyotes. In order from the Kitsune to the Werecoyotes their names are; Sonya, Cayden, Kassidy, William, Gabriel, Nick, Meredith, Mitch, Maya, Rachel, Daniel, Dylan, Helena, and Sarah. Some of them have harsh pasts and suffer from minor PTSD, but the majority are almost happy-go-lucky and seem to care very little about what happens.

     I am currently sitting with the Kitsune and getting to know them. "So, I kind of know your names, but I don't know your type. I hope I'm not intruding or anything. I'm just intrigued. I've only really met three other Kitsune."

     The blonde girl laughs. "Well, my blonde hair says it all. I'm Kassidy and a Sanda, or Thunder Kitsune. Much like your friend Kira I might add."

     The jock-like male grins at me. "I'm Cayden, and I'm a Yama, or Mountain Kitsune. Which actually explains my body shape if you think about it."

     "Cayden," a light haired, eyed and skinned male admonishes. "That's self-absorbed. Anyway, I'm William, or Will, and I'm a Seishin, or Spirit Kitsune. There are very few of us these days."

     A fiery-eyed male scoffs. "Speak for yourself, Light Boy. Us Fire Kitsune are perfectly fine."

     An identical male pushes him slightly. "Gabriel, he means all Kitsune. Not just the Seishin or the Kasai."

     "Nick, douse that fire will you? It's getting rather large."

     Nick - the obviously calmer twin - frowns. "Gabriel, I might be a Kawa Kitsune, but you know that I can't create the water."

     Cayden raises his eyebrow at the twins. "Stop it, the both of you. Sonya is still sitting there and waiting for her turn."

     Sonya, the dark haired girl that barely spoke, finally speaks after everyone says what they are. "I'm Sonya, and I'm the same as you, Stiles. I'm a Dark Kitsune."

     I move to sit next to her, wrapping my arm around the fragile girl. "You're alright here, Sonya. You don't have to be afraid. None of us are going to hurt you."

     "Thank you, Stiles. You're too kind. You remind me so much of my brother when he was still alive."

     "I'm sorry for your loss. Was it recently?"

     She shakes her head. "He died many centuries ago. He would be a thousand by now."

     I visibly pale. "Was he a Dark Kitsune as well?"

     "Yes. I sense him within you, Stiles. He chose you as his host - his object of revenge on Noshiko for offending him during the World War. I apologise for his behaviour."

     "What was his name?"

     "It was Stephen. He was a gentle soul before they murdered him and he became a Spirit Being."

     "He spoke of you, Sonya. He loved you, and he is sorry that he abandoned you."

     "It's quite alright. I will see him soon. We aren't immortal, you know? We can die quite easily, but not as easily as the rest of our kind. It takes a sword forged in our own Fox Fire. No other Fox Fire can kill us."

     I stares at the ever growing fire in front of me and it hits me; I can die. I don't want to be a Fox. I never did, but I got chosen to be one anyway. That's one thing I can't change. I can rid myself of it once and for all - and I don't care how I do it. Death or not, I am going to rid myself of the Fox once and for all.