3: Born Ready

ADRIANA

I shut the door on Kian’s face. Smiling to myself when I imagine the dumbstruck expression he must have had. He never expected me to actually do that.

But what I can say, it was a dare and I have a thing for them.

“Mum?” I called out her name as I took off my shoes.

I couldn't hear anything in the house, which was weird. She said she would be here when I got back.

I shrugged, running up my room. She might be with the other pack members.

Kian and I had ditched them to go out for a little hike anyway. I made it clear it wasn’t a date and he said he agreed but the way he was smiling said otherwise. I wasn’t very worried about that because I had fun.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had fun like that. I couldn’t even remember any time I had fun. All that was in my mind was how badly everyone I knew treated me.

I couldn’t get most of my memory back, but from the snippets that I remember. I would rather not even recall at all.

I was stupid, naïve and extremely weak. I didn’t want to ever feel that way, or even think that way again. It may be why I haven’t been making much effort to get all my memories back.

Things are good like this. I’m with people that care about me and love me. People that will never exploit me or lie to me and use me for their benefit.

This is the best way for things to end. At least for me, they will get their endings soon.

If only mum will see that I’m ready then we can put our plan in motion.

Henry says I’m doing even better than he expected. I put him down twice this morning when we were sparring, after I fought a couple of the warriors we have.

I’m extremely proud of myself and he is not going to hear the end of it.

I laugh to myself, stepping out of the clothes I’d worn earlier. I change into something more comfortable and less sweaty.

The weather was chill but my body has developed a sick ability to feel things that aren’t on par with reality.

Mum thinks it is the stress that is getting to me, and I didn’t want to bother her so I stopped complaining.

But right now, it is barely evening and the weather is chilly as fuck. I’m sweating so badly and I feel so hot. you would think I had an oven or warmer inside me.

Wearing only a tank top and sweats, I go back downstairs, hoping mum is back now.

We should talk about our plans. It has been nothing but that for the past months. It is time to start doing something, other than planning.

Mum has this idea that you shouldn’t rush into things, to always sit and think ten steps head. She is obsessed with getting everything perfectly right the first time. No room for mistakes.

And that is why we are still here.

I don't see her in the kitchen, and she is not up in her room either. I check the backyard even if she will never try gardening, but who knows.

“Mum? Where are you?” I call out again, looking into the pantry but still nothing.

I check the house two more times but still get no response. I give up after I head up the stairs for the third time. I decide to get into my room and lie down.

I could try to do the exercises the doctor—a sorceress, actually—said to try and remember things.

But since I wasn’t keen on doing that, I tried to pick one of the books I have, to read again. We are so far away from people in general that we couldn’t get most of these things.

It is not safe for us to be out there, so I have very limited reading materials. Most of what I like have worn from how many times I’ve re-reread them.

I sit on the bench by my window. It gives me a great view of the front of the house, right from our front porch. I could see most of the houses around here too.

I watch people sometimes when I have nothing to do.

But then, watching the same people over and over again gets boring overtime.

Diving into the book, I reopen to one of my favorite parts of the lycan battles.

It is the chapter where the lycan king was brought to his knees by the queen, and makes she him beg her for his life. He wasn’t expecting her, or that she would even do something like that. It is what makes me like it more.

I feel like I relate to the queen well. She has always been undermined and underrated, then she wound her full potential and—

I felt a tingle in the back of my neck and my attention was immediately dragged from the book. I look out through my window. Someone is watching me, I can tell.

There is no one around but I could have sworn I felt something. I peeked low and my brows creased immediately.

“Mum?” I ask no one in particular.

She was standing there, with her frock, which meant she had gone out, and there was a man with her. They were speaking in hushed tones so I couldn’t hear from up here.

I debated what to do for a split second, not letting the thought even get far, I jumped off the bench and ran down the stairs. I reach the door in seconds. As I am about to lean in and listen in on what is being said, the door opens and mum’s brows creased as she saw me.

My eyes widened, I didn’t even want to think of how I looked.

“Darling, you’re back already?” she asks, her eyes looking away from me.

I nodded, narrowing my eyes a little in suspicion. “Yes, why wouldn’t I be? You always say to return before sunset and not stay late.”

I point out, giving her a sweet smile.

“Hmmm, I did say that.” she muses but doesn’t add anything to it.

I shake my head, thinking of what brought me down here in the first place. I tried peeking over her shoulder to see if I'd catch a glimpse of who she was speaking to, but the porch was empty.

How fast did he move?

“Are you looking for something or someone?” I shook my head immediately.

“No, nothing like that.” I clear my throat, blinking a little. “I thought I saw you with someone but it must—”

“Dreya, we have a problem.” Mum sighs, shutting her eyes as Henry barrels into the room. He pauses when he sees us both by the door. “Oh, is this a bad time?”

“Come in,” mum offers him a tight smile. She turns to me and I know what to do without her having to say it. I move out of the way and head to the kitchen, pretending I was getting water.

She knows I’m not, but she doesn’t call me out.

Something is going on and I’m not going to let them shove it under the rug. If it is anything that I need to know, then I will.

“They said they saw wolves around the east border, not just wolves but the ones from—”

“How close were they? Do you think they have pinned our location down?” she cuts him off.

My eyes widened. Who found us?

Mum said we would be fine for the time being. That would all be ruined in seconds if someone found us before we were ready.

Well, I was. Or I think I am, not that it looks like it might happen, I’m starting to doubt myself.

“Last I heard, the lycan king was back in town. And you know what he is here for.”

My heart skipped a heart at the mention of the man I stupidly trusted. The mate that treated me worse than the rest of them. The man who connived with my father to try and kill me.

He is the main subject of my revenge, and hearing about him already has me thinking violent thoughts.

Mum doesn’t say anything for a stretched second, before she sighs. “I don’t think she is ready yet.”

Of all the things I expected her to say, that was the last one.

I am ready!

This is my revenge and I am more than ready. If I need to convince her, I will.

“Maybe you’re not giving her enough credit.” Henry defends.

“I know my daug—”

“Mum, I’m ready.” I cut her off before she says anything else.

“Honey, I know you think you are but we still have so much to do,”

“He is already close by, how long do you think before they find us?” I narrow my eyes.

If they have gotten close, then they’ll only keep getting closer. “We shouldn’t let them come to us with all the advantages they have." I continue. "This place may look good but we don't have the numbers, and they have all these weapons.”

I stop to breathe and mum nods, her eyes sparkling with pride, my heart soars at the sight of it.

“What do you suggest?” she smirks and I nod, my smile mirroring hers.

“We attack first.” I shrug, smiling a little. “I bet there are a few things we can do to throw them off for a while.”

Henry nods and mum smiles.

It is finally payback time.

Alpha Xander better be ready for his karma. It won’t be pretty, that is one thing I am certain of.