The Seeing Mate

3.

Life is calm right now. After my last case, I definitely took it easy. Until, my aunt had us close the bakery for the whole week. She kept me and Amelia in the dark until one day she sat us both down.

"There are honor killings going on in the area."

"Honor killings!" I blurted out, not understanding.

"Yes, honor killings. The police don't have much to deal with, so they haven't connected the dots yet. We, on the other hand, or rather I, have an inside source."

"Who?" I asked.

"I have another sister in the clan. She sent word to me."

"But I thought...with Martha's ...."

"So did I but our family isn't as forgiving as I thought."

I sat looking at both of them, not sure what all this meant.

"So what are we going to do? Just hide?"

My great aunt looked at me, but didn't say anything more. More than likely, that was a big fat yes. I thought about it for a while, then went to talk to my great aunt alone, but I was sure Amelia was listening.

"So we'll just lose money and customers, for a maybe kill."

"It's not maybe they sent someone to kill us, Mila!"

"Tia, but...we can't hide like this, it's not right."

"So what do you suggest? I'm not sending you out to get slaughtered!"

"I just don't think it's right to hide."

"It's our best chance for now. You and Amelia will go close and put up a sign."

"No, I can do it alone. Better one target than two."

She nodded and I went back to my room. I sat in silence and called on my visions, but it was like I was running into a wall. I could see anything, the more I pushed the more power it took. When I opened my eyes, I had a nose bleed.

"What did you see?" Amelia asked behind me, from the bathroom doorway. As I put a cold compress on my head,

"Nothing, I've hit a wall." I said, taking the compress back to my room. She followed and closed my room door behind her.

"Why do you do that? Just because Martha passed down her gift to you, doesn't mean you know everything!"

I looked at Amelia, my feeling had always been she was jealous of me.

"Amelia, I haven't lived what you, your mom or what my grandma lived. Being kicked out of your home because of some stupid and rigid traditions. But I'm not willing to let you or your mom get hurt!"

"I would say that's noble of you, but I don't think your ego needs to be bigger!"

"Whatever, I'm going to close the store and you two are staying here!"

She grabbed my arm again to stop me.

"They won't think twice about killing you. You just found out why Carmen was kicked out and possibly killed. They won't stop until all evidence is gone."

"I'll be fine." I said, trying to sound reassuring but just sounded over cocky. I grabbed my jacket and headed out to the bakery.

Montana was just getting colder with fall more or less on us, but it's always cold early here. I closed the gate to cover the front door, I went into the back and started unplugging the frosting bowls, and putting things that needed to be put in the freezer or fridge. I double checked that things weren't on or able to catch fire. I was just putting a new bag in the trash can when I heard something fall in the front. Carefully, I went to check it out. The shop was dead silent, when I looked around to see what had fallen, I found there was something right in the middle of the bakery. I carefully went over and found that it was a sugar holder. I opened my third eye, but there was nobody here. That's when I felt watched and I realized this had been a trap.

"You look just like your mother." I heard the deep male voice behind me, along with something cold on my neck.

"You would know, right?" I said angrily,, as he pulled me into his body, putting the knife at my throat.

"I know you didn't ask for this, but this way all shame is gone." he said in my ear. I felt him raise the knife and I took the chance to hit him and, somehow, in his hurry. He managed to stab himself. I headed for the door but I suddenly left liquid on my legs, and it started to burn into my skin. I screamed in pain. Had he thrown acid at me? I was on the floor inches from the back door, but the burning feeling was deep. I looked up and the man was standing over me. He raised the knife again.

I was just frozen to the spot, when something else happened. A huge beast or dog came crashing in and right at the man. All I heard was screaming, gurgling, and ripping sounds. I was on my back going in and out of darkness, all I saw in the end was a pair of yellow eyes. Then it went dark and I was out.

I was having dreams of wolves and chanting and then I awoke as pain shot through my legs.

"Shhh, it's okay, we need to do this or you'll get an infection." another male voice said, but this one was soothing, almost familiar. He handed me something, when I saw it was a wooden spoon. Without thinking, I put it in my mouth. That's when the pain continued. I screamed as he scraped. My guess was the melted skin. I bit down so hard, I heard the spoon c***k. Then it stopped and I was able to relax. My body shook and was covered in sweat.

Soon a door opened and in walked a woman. She was carrying a dish of stuff, and soon poured some kind of ointment or liquid. It stung but it had a cooling sensation. I found myself falling to sleep again, but she came up next to me offering me to drink something.

"Drink this, it'll help with the infection and give you a dreamless sleep."

I drank it with her help and soon was asleep again.

I was asleep for days. How could I tell? I would wake up and things would look different, or I'd see people in and out of the room. It was about the fourth day, when I woke up and the room was empty. I looked outside, barely catching sight of the outdoors between the curtains. It was snowing lightly outside. The brightness hurt my eyes. I laid back and gave myself the chance to relax. Then I sat up carefully and saw my legs bandaged up. Everything from that night came flooding back. I wanted to see my legs, but I knew it would be bad. Before, I decided to unwrap my legs to look at them, someone came in.

I froze, not because I was scared, but because I knew who he was.

"Mr. Bracks!?" I said in surprise. He smiled and came to sit in the chair next to the bed.

"Camila, you still remember me!"

"Of course, you were my favorite history teacher!"

He laughed but nodded. The room felt warm, but then I realized what else I had seen that night. Had he been the beast that...

"No, but I was there." he said, going toward my bandaged legs.

"What was that....animal?" I said, not sure how to offend him. He huffed a small laugh, but didn't say anything. He unwrapped my legs, and my insides twisted in discomfort. It looked really bad.

"It was acid."

"Yes, it was, the wolf got some on himself too, but he'll be okay." he said smiply.

"Wolf, you mean...like werewolf?!"

He made a face, but nodded.

"No, werewolves aren't real! They're only in horror or those s*x stories!"

That had him laughing but he shook his head.

"That's the only place you've heard about werewolves?"

"And some native American or Gypsy stories about shapeshifters and stuff but.... a werewolf!" I said in a whisper.

"Yes, my dear, we exists and we've been around for a while."

I looked at him noticing hims say 'we'.

"You're a werewolf!" I almost yelled.

"Yes, born and raised."

I knew my mouth was hanging out, in shock but I didn't say anything else. He put more ointment on my burns and wrapped them again.

"Well, you're healing nicely, but let's not push our luck. We'll try to get you up and walking tomorrow. For now I'll ask Shawn to bring you something to eat and drink."

"Who's she?"

"She's my wife and mate, she's been helping me heal you."

Questions were running through my head, but I nodded and he excused himself. About half an hour later, the woman from before came in with a tray of food. Now that I saw her in the light, she had a scar across her face.

"I hope you like it, it will help you heal and give you energy," she said cheerfully. For some reason, things started to click slowly in my head.

"Um..thank you." I said, sitting up and sat against the wall. The soup she brought me was so delicious. It had dumplings and potato, with bacon and what looked like parsley. The sandwich was cheesy but perfectly crisp. Then I realized this had been my favorite lunch at one point. Knoephla soup with a grilled cheese. I had a weird feeling, and I was suddenly very paranoid.

"What's wrong are you feeling sick!?" the woman suddenly stood up and wanted to check me. I grabbed her arms and called on my visions, but I couldn't see anything. It was the same wall as before.

I let go of her arms, and moved away from her. She took the tray and looked concerned.

" Brian will be back with some medicine," she said and walked out of the room.

As soon as I was sure that I was alone, I tried to get up on my feet, but it really hurt badly. I fought through the pain and headed to the door. When I opened it, I noticed that I was on the first floor of a cabin. I looked around carefully, locating the door leading outdoors before I made the sprint to it. There it was, so carefully I limped toward the door, and for one glorious moment I thought I had made it but...

"You know even if you make it there, there's no way you'll survive outside." that voice made a shiver run up my back, as I stood there, frozen half way to the door. Then carefully I turned to look at the face, I promised I would never wish to see again.

"Josh," I said, turning around now glaring. He had grown into a handsome man, tall, dark and definitely breath-takingly hot. Those honey-colored eyes are piercing as before. He was wearing long black sleeves with dark blue jeans, his hair in a long comb over his face with a light scatter of facial hair.

He was standing right in front of me. I tried to take a step back and flinched. He tried to help but I pushed his arm away. He was a brick wall of muscle.

"Why are you so scared of me, Mila?"

"I'm not scared of you." I said my voice harsh from the pain and from not knowing what to say.

"hmmm, then why is your heart hammering in your chest?"

I felt my face burn, as I let my anger boil to the surface.

"I just found out your secret! A werewolf, I never would've thought you to be. Wolves are supposed to be loyal, not lying and backstabbing..."

I flinched as the stabbing pain shot up my legs again.

"Let me help you!" he said, trying to reach for me. I glared at him and pushed past him toward the room again.

"I don't need you, so just stay away from me." I said and limped back to the room. Before I took another step, however, I felt arms, cradle me and I was being carried into the room. He carefully put me on the bed, not looking at me. Once he was sure I was comfortable, he left the room without a word.