Chapter 3

Ava’s beast of a boyfriend is gaining on us. Every turn I take, I think I’m gonna lose him, but he finds me. It’s almost as if he knows where I am at all times. Not me, Ava. “Does he have a tracker on you or something?” I ask her in a fury. She doesn’t answer but it looks like she wants to.

He’s right behind me now. I only have a few options here. Maybe this isn’t my mess, and I don’t want to get involved. I could stop right here and kick her ass to the curb. Ava grimaces in my direction. It’s almost as if she can hear what I’m thinking.

“Yeah, I sure can.” She blurts out. “What the fuck?” I say back, confused. Something shifts in my soul. My head feels funny. I feel Ava’s presence in a way I’ve never felt before. “If we don’t get away from him, he’s going to kill me.” She stares out the back window. My car can go faster.

“He’s not going to get to you Ava.” I throw my car in high gear. “I won’t let him kill you.” Rain starts to fall. Perfect. I’m cornering my ride like it’s on rails.

“Holy shit, you can hear my thoughts?” Ava looks surprised. “You could have fucking told me that you’re a werewolf.” I keep my eyes on the road. It didn’t occur to me that she wasn’t speaking out loud.

My mind is racing. A werewolf. Is that what I am?

Everything I’ve ever known is a lie. My life is exploding before me and my heart can’t take it. Pain forms behind my eyes, and I know he’s close. He must be a werewolf as well. That’s how he knows where we are.

The rain is pouring down now. There’s an open garage at a tire shop behind me on the left. I slam down on the breaks, bang a u-turn and reverse into the bay. It’s dark in here. Nobody is around. I turn off my engine, get out and quickly shut the garage door. Ava gets out mad. “He’s gonna find us here. We shouldn’t have stopped.” I put my hands out, “Give me your hands.” Ava put her hands in mine.

My thoughts are out of control. I take a deep breath in through my nose and let it out slowly between my parted lips. Another deep breath. I open my eyes and look at Ava. I want you to close your eyes, I think to myself with the intention of her understanding that I need her to focus. She closes her eyes. I close mine.

“Shadows of the dark night. Hear me.

The one who seeks, shall never find.

Shadows of the dark night. Hear me.

The one who seeks, shall never find.

Shadows of the dark night. Hear me.

The one who seeks, shall never find.”

Ava pulls her hands away. She circles around me slowly, “What are you?” She’s guarded. “I’m a witch, and apparently also a werewolf.” I guess.

“But you had no clue?”

“Not until a few days ago.” I don’t even know what day it is.

“What happened?”

“You’re in my head, can’t you see it for yourself?”

“No. I only get what you’re willing to share.” She seems to be a bit standoffish all of a sudden. “I saved your ass, and he just drove by. He won’t be able to find you for a while.”

“How do you know for sure?” She questions me.

“Because I don’t feel him anymore, but I feel you.” Ava relaxes a bit. She looks a bit less tense. I feel her warmth. She wants something from me but I don’t know what it is. It almost feels flirtations in nature. She smiles. Right, I keep forgetting that she can hear what I’m thinking.

“Why didn’t you just turn into a werewolf and rip him apart back there?” That’s what I would have done. She didn’t like my question. I can’t hear her thoughts. Ava must be holding back from me. There’s something she doesn’t want me to know. What is it?

“I was his slave.” She blurts out. “What the fuck does that mean?” I wonder. Ava opens my car door, and sits down in the passenger seat sideways with her feet on the ground. I walk over to her.

“It’s exactly as it sounds. If he says jump, I jump. If he says suck, I suck. If he wants to fuck, I bend over.” She explains. “What did the other werewolves think? Why didn’t they do anything?” It sounds a bit sadistic.

“I was brought into the pack as a slave. My plan was to work my way up to be the Alpha’s fated mate. But he didn’t want me.” Ava’s head drops.

“It’s almost as if you’re asking for punishment.” Why would anyone want to whore their way up to the pack leader? She doesn’t like what I said. “Fuck, I’m sorry. It sounded better in my head. I still have no thought filter.” I apologize to her but she’s still annoyed. “You should really work on that.” Note taken.

I walk over to open the garage door. The chain is a little stuck, and I wiggle it a little bit. I’m trying not to be obvious about my magic. Staring at the door, I cock my head up to the side. The garage door opens. I return to the drivers seat, and start my engine. Ava fully gets in, and shuts her door.

“What’s with the witchy shit?” Ava shuffles her feet. “My grandmother was a witch. Her sisters as well, but they were murdered.” She looks up at me, “What about your mother?” I shake my head no. “She’s dead. My mother died when I was a child. She thought my grandmother was nuts. She didn’t believe in the craft.” I hope she doesn’t ask me about my father. Fuck me. This mind reading thing is exhausting.

“It’s called telepathy. Well go on then. What happened to him?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that my grandmother never wanted me to look for him. She said it would only bring me pain.” Yet here I am searching for him anyways. I look at Ava to see if she heard that thought. Her face doesn’t change. Maybe I’m in the clear. The thought of someone being able to read my mind freaks the hell out of me. She smiles again.

I can feel that she wants to kiss me.