Is This the End?

Chapter Twenty-Four

Nate

I tilt my head back and am greeted with the twinkling stars starting to fade and giving way to the shining sunrise. Shaking my head, I head back down the path, focusing on the silhouette that I know belongs to Dad. He's crouched in front of Cameron, Lukas, and Cayden.

I can just barely make out their whispers from this distance and slap at my ears in frustration. Can't the damn things heal already? They're just eardrums. I spot Samuel and Dewitt in the middle of what looks to be a long talk, though, from Dewitt's clenched hands, it might be moving along to an argument.

A hand comes down on my shoulder, and I have to fight back my immediate reflex—twisting around to punch that person in the throat. Tilting my head slightly, I catch a glimpse of the woman who had tended to my injuries.

She has a somewhat apologetic smile painted upon her face. I back up a little bit before taking a close look at her, and I can't help but take in her scent; it's bitter in a way and reminds me of black coffee.

"So do you have a name or are you Doc?" I ask, throwing myself onto the ground. I eye the stars and mentally start to map out the path I will be traveling.

"That's what everybody calls, but you may also call me Aceso," she responds.

"I take it you're not human then?"

"Oh, you could say that." She steps closer and leans over me, getting in the way of my view of the sky. I have no choice but to look at her again and, for the first time, take notice of the calculating stare she has. It makes me feel as though any minute she's going to reach out to gobble me up. The feeling is gone as fast as it came.

I gasp as my heart races in my chest; I inch back and wipe the sweat off my forehead. What the hell was that? She nods her head before backing away, and I'm left with the distinct feeling that I've passed some test, though I have no idea what it could be.

"Doc are you messin' with my kid?" Dad shouts. I turn my head and see Dad looking between the two of us while pressing his lips together in a tight line as he glances between the two of us. Aceso lets out a long sigh before slowly backing away with her hands in the air. I turn to my dad and see him practically growling at her retreating back.

"I thought she was your friend?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at his actions.

"She is, but sometimes we have a difference of opinion on how to handle certain situations," he tells me, and he comes to sit down right next to me.

"So you don't trust her?" I watch as he shakes his head refusing to meet my gaze.

"It's complicated. But I'm pretty sure she'd never hurt you," he states with confidence. I scrunch my nose up at the words pretty sure. What a laugh. That's like saying I'm pretty sure I'm not going to bite anybody today. Doesn't mean it's not going to happen.

"Why would she care about me?"

"That's something you'll have to ask your mother."

"Fine. Guess I'll just add it to the list," I snark.

"Hey! Don't take that tone with me. You were supposed to find out about all this when you turned eighteen. It's not our fault you up and left." His eyes have taken on the blue steel hue that all shifters are known for. I can't but to gape at the sight of the first physical confirmation that my whole I'd been lied to. He takes a deep breath before giving me a small smile and knocking our shoulders together.

"So you're gonna go get little Vee today; you must be excited," he trails, and as I look to the side, his eyes are fixated on the path ahead. I nudge him a bit, but all that earns me is a grunt and a shove on my back. Staying on the ground, I relax and close my eyes as one of his hands comes up and starts to rearrange my locs.