Chapter 1

“Hey, Jessie,” Jake said to me while poking his head into my room. I laughed at his bed head, his light brown hair sticking up in all directions. Apparently, he just got up from bed. He ignored my laughter and threw me my phone. I caught it with no struggle.

“Andrew’s on the phone.”

“Okay, thanks cousin.” I shouted as he walked down the hall. I put the phone to my ear and said, “Hey Andrew.”

“Hi Jessie,” Andrew replied out of breath, his tone sounded worried.

“What, Andrew? This is like the third time you called today. I know you miss me so much as my only beloved brother, but I’ll have to say, you’re becoming too overprotective. I’m fine. I’m definitely stronger now. Stop getting your panties in a twist and stop worrying about me. I miss – ”

“No, Jessie, that’s not what I want to talk about.” he growled seriously. My mouth snapped shut, knowing what he was about to say was serious.

“Is everything okay, Andrew?” I asked, sitting up on my bed. Then, I heard a door shut on his end and hushed whispers.

“Andrew, what’s going on?” I asked again, this time screaming as the talking on his end became louder.

“Jessie, listen and listen carefully,” he said. Now, he’s gone to a quieter part of the room. “Brian just got attacked and he’s in critical condition. He wants you to be here. You’re his best friend. Actually, we all need you here. So, I suggest you get packing and take the next flight down here.”

I stood up and paced around my room as soon as I heard his words. “What? What happened, Andrew?” I gasped, my voice started to quiver. This was all too much to digest. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst-case scenarios in my head. “Is Brian okay?”

“No, we are all not okay, Jessie.” Andrew’s voice trembled at the end. I clutched the phone tighter, unsure about what he was about to say. There was a moment of silence before Andrew let out a sob. “Mom’s dead.”

For a while, I couldn’t even understand what he was saying. My brain was filled with blank and I couldn’t find any word to respond to him. I could feel myself slipping into the same numb feeling I felt when my dad died a year earlier. All I could hear were the sounds of Andrew’s choked sobs and a feminine voice soothing him.

No, this can’t be true! I just talked to my mother yesterday and she was better than ever! I enjoyed the sound of her tinkling laughter when I told her that Jake’s cooking was a disaster. I enjoyed the lame joke that she shared. The sound of her voice alone was comforting. It made me feel as if I were home.

Now she was gone.

“Jessie, we’ve just been attacked an hour ago. Mom – mom – she took the bullet for me,” Andrew continued to explain. I could tell he was trying to keep an even tone. “The doctors told me it would be a miracle if she can survive this, so I’m assuming that she – that she is –“

He couldn’t finish his sentence. My heart dropped into my aching stomach. “I’m sorry, Jessie. It’s my fault again. It’s my fault that led to mom’s death. I’m so, so – “

At the other end of the phone, I heard the slam of a door. A voice that sounded like Brian started to speak up. He said something to Andrew, but his volume was too low to hear for me.

“What?” Andrew asked in shock. He choked and started to cry again. “What? Are you lying to me?”

Brian’s voice sounded clearer now as he responded to Andrew’s questions.

“Andrew,” I shouted into the phone, knitting my eyebrows together in worry. “Andrew, what the hell is going on?”

I kept yelling his name into the phone, waiting for his response, but all I heard was the door slamming shut again and a different voice coming from the other end. Tears started to overflow in my eyes as I recognized the voice.

“Hey, Jessie, your brother went to go check on your mom,” Brian said calmly as I began to cry. “Calm down, Jessie.”

“Brian, w-what’s going on?”

“Don’t worry, Jessie. Your mom is fine. She’s still alive! Trust me!” Again, I couldn’t find the right words to respond as my shoulders slumped and my eyes shut in relief. I began to smile and cry in happiness and appreciation that my mother was still alive.

“Andrew went to go check up on her. She made it. The doctor took the wolfsbane-laced bullet out just in time for her quick werewolf healing abilities to start working in her body. She’s fine, Jessie. She’s just sick and needs to be treated for a couple of weeks.”

“Wolfsbane-laced bullet?” I asked in shock remembering the bullets that were found in the guns my dad had stored in his warehouse.

“Oh, come on Jessie. You really are a poor wolf. You can’t see the Hunters that are hidden in the dark?”

I shivered at the memory of his words, the way he tortured Daisy and my mom, and the way he hated my kind with a passion. Everything started to click together now. Once again, I hated myself for being the reason behind all of it. They wanted me and since they couldn’t find me, they were physically hurting the ones I loved. They knew they were my weak spot. I couldn’t help the sudden surge of anger that ignited in me.

“Brian, I’m coming home,” I finally started to speak up, feeling the canines itch out of my gums and my wolf moving underneath my tight skin.

“Coming home, Jessie?” Brian whispered. I could hear the shuffling of his feet. “Are you sure that’s a great idea? Harry is still hurt about the whole break up and he’s still – “

“Don’t worry about that now. My mom is my first priority for the moment.”

“Okay, I’ll call you back later to plan it out. Sorry but I have to go now, I need to deal with Alpha duties,” Brian said in a rush as I heard the door open on the other end. “Bye, Jessie.”

“Bye, Brian.”

I’ve kept in touch with Brian ever since I’ve left them. Ever since then, we’ve still been as close as we were when I was still there. Brian has and always will be considered a brother to me. He was there when I told him about how I learned to use my hands to heal things. Yes, I was a hand healer, but I haven’t perfected it yet. He shared my happiness with me. He was also there when I experienced the most painful heartbreak I had ever experienced five months ago.

My heart constricted again at the memories.

It was the first time I’ve ever felt my heart literally breaking into a million of pieces. It felt as if a cobra wrapped itself around my chest, squeezing the life out of me as I panted for more air. I remember the piercing screams mixed with the howls of my wolf that emitted from my chest. My body felt like it was on fire. I remember Jake and my other relatives surrounding me as I curled in on myself, hoping that the pain would stop. It was an hour later that I stayed on the ground, limp and lifeless with tears running down my cheeks.

My mate had made love to another woman.

Brian was pissed off and drove down for the weekend to cheer me up. He was about to beat the crap out of Harrison when he heard the news, but Betty – Brian’s mate and Harrison’s sister – stopped the two of them from getting into a fight. And ever since then, Andrew has ignored Harrison’s existence. Both Avalon Pack and Raven Pack were mad at Harrison for doing what he did. But as for Harrison himself, he didn’t care at all.

I still love him and I guess that was what hurt the most.

Every now and then, I would feel the familiar burn in my chest. It occurred so many times already that my wolf learned to take it lightly and eventually, we both got used to it. She was hurt, but she did not abandon me. If anything, she wanted to help me get stronger. Therefore, she helped dim the pain every time he would make love to another woman.

The memory caused me to touch my Avalon shaped mark that sat where my neck met my right shoulder. Tears rolled down my cheek. I missed him, but I knew he didn’t miss me.

I quickly wiped away my tear when I heard a knock on the door. Jake stuck his head inside, his hazel eyes showed concerned. I knew he wasn’t going to leave me alone until I told him what happened.

He was as stubborn as I was.

“Just to let you know, I was eavesdropping,” Jake said quietly and sat on the couch in my room. “You already know me – nosy.”

Jake Wood was at the same age as me. He hadn’t found his mate yet, but he was so eager to find her. I knew that whoever his mate was extremely lucky. He’d treat her like a queen and would cherish her and spoil her.

Jake was a Healer of the Wounded, meaning he could only heal cuts and bruises. He was stronger than I was in many ways – including his senses, agility, and energy. He’s been training me ever since we first met and because of him. Thanks to his efforts, I was a better Healer now.

“I’m coming with you whether you like it or not,” Jake declared.

“Alright, Jake, come if you want. But there was just one thing. He’s not too fond of Healers.”

“By ‘he’, I guess you mean that crank whose name goes by…” Jake paused, directing it towards Harrison. “I don’t care what he thinks, Jessie. I just want to be there for Auntie Angela and for you. That crank is not within my consideration.”

Jake knew everything about me. That included my heavy past about Lancetown. He knew about Scott. He knew about Brian. He knew about who were supposed to be mated to each other. He knew about my friendship with everyone in Lancetown.

I wasn’t overly excited to go back to Lancetown. Reuniting with my friends, my brother, and my mom made me all giddy inside. I missed them so much that I couldn’t wait to see them. There was just one thing I wasn’t so sure about.

Harrison – my mate.

He would probably be mad at me for coming home. He’d probably not allow me to be on his territory. Whatever he’d do, I wasn’t too happy to see the man that broke my heart and the mate that I thought was perfect. I really don’t know where this reunion may lead to, but I was about to find out soon enough.

“Alright. Then you should start packing now. We are leaving early tomorrow morning,” I sighed as I grabbed the dusty luggage at the back of my closet.