The Forgotten Child

Chapter 7

She went to step away from him but before she could leave he grabbed her hand.

"Alyson," he said so softly and so broken it made the last bit of strength she had crumble away and tears freely streaked down her face.

"Don't worry I'll think of something to tell your family," Alyson said tears streaming down her face.

"No," Hayden said his eyes searching her own. She could feel the pain they exuded.

"No, you aren't leaving. You're going to stay here and I swear if you even think about leaving like this again, I'm going to handcuff us together and throw away the fucking key," His eyes burning a hole in her as his voice was passionate, in a way that was harsh but in a caring way.

"Do you really think, that this would stop me from loving you?" he asks in the same tone.

"Hayden, I don't know what to think! I'm so scared I'm going to screw this up! I don't want to put you or any of your family in danger, because I'm some freak mutation. I can't handle it," Alyson says her throat starting to close up.

"Alyson, I love you. And nothing will ever change that, though his progression is shocking. It doesn't mean you have to run away, we'll find a way to work through this together. I've almost lost you too many times to let this stand in our way," he comes closer to her and cups her cheek gently.

"Am I shocked, yes. Am I terrified! But one thing I'm sure of is how much I love you and how much I need you with me," he says gazing into her eyes. Tears streaming down her face a few tears escaped Hayden's eyes as well. Alyson wasted no time connecting their lips. The kiss was brimmed with passion and heartache. A kiss that promised not to abandon but stand together.

Hayden was the first to pull away, though he reluctantly so.

"I love you, Alyson," Hayden said a big goofy smile crossing his lips.

"I love you too," Alyson said burying her head in his chest.

"Now, let's talk about what we're going to do," Hayden said gently lifting her head and pushing stray hairs behind her ears.

"That's the thing I dunno what to do. I don't want to tell the rest of the pack because I'm sure they'll hate me for this. I'm not mentally ready for that," Alyson says.

"They'd still accept and love you, but I'll respect your choice for now," Hayden says.

"The openings healed up pretty quick once I got back into my body but there are few thin pink marks still visible," Alyson said pulling up her sleeve and pointing out the jagged lines across her arm, the healing skin looked like lightning bolt webbing. Sharp jagged edges, like something, was trying to burst through her skin.

"It looks like it's not going to scar, and it not noticeable until you pointed them out. But what I want to know is how this happened. You were never bitten or scratched by a skinwalker. It's like you're carrying it in your blood somehow," Hayden says. Before Alyson can respond the moment is interrupted.

"Hayden, Alyson! There's trouble in the eastern side of the forest! Meet the rest of the hunters there asap!" James's voice floated through their minds.

"We're on our way" Hayden shot back. 

"It sounded serious, I hope everyone's okay," Alyson said nervously. 

"Yeah, give me a sec to ya know," he says with a small smile.

"Yeah, have you seen Kai today?" Alyson asks Hayden.

"He's with Elliot. Kai's helping him keep his spirits up, I suppose." 

"Yeah, Kai is quite good with kids. When I was working for the ice cream parlour, I'd take him to work with me and he'd play with the kids while they waited for ice cream or comforted them if they dropped theirs. Which if he's happily helping with the clean up too unless of course, it had chocolate in it," Alyson reminisced Kai's cuteness as Hayden finished transforming.