The Seeing Mate

8.

The ride was quiet, more because I was asleep the whole time, that was more because I didn't want to work through the tension in the truck. I was too tired to talk like an adult, and I felt like it would get too heated. So I slept the whole way there, by the time we got there. I was very aware of an energy close by.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked as he parked the truck.

I stared in one particular direction, I felt a pull of some kind.

"Nothing...Nothing. I thought I saw something." I said and got out of the truck, and headed toward the house. Soon Shawna and Amelia came to greet us, as did Bracks. I plastered a smile on my face, and so did Josh. We spent the whole day just faking it, without having to talk to each other. At some point, they had a bonfire outside in a fire pit they had. For the first time in a long time I felt home, which was something that i had slowly started to realize. I felt guilty for not having the nerve or the heart to just let my past with Josh go and start fresh. Why couldn't I do that?

"We need more firewood," said Bracks.

"We'll go!" volunteered Amelia and pulled me up with her. We didn't go too far, but just enough to talk without being overheard. Amelia had been itching to talk to me alone, but it didn't matter if we had moved to a different room. Not that didn't make much of a difference either, but...werewolf hearing.

"Okay, why did you really bring me out here?" I asked, picking up a few good sticks.

She glared at me as she picked up a few sticks too.

"You look like s**t!" she said coldly.

"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better."

"What the hell is going on? Three days ago I told you to talk it out with him, so what's going on now?"

"I'm not sure, but I guess....he over heard me saying the guy Samuel's name and...might've gotten the wrong idea."

"You didn't try to explain?!"

"Amelia, I'm sleep deprived and then the damn stress of all this crap!"

"Camila. You need to clear things up with him, you do realize that if he thinks Mom lied, they will kill us!"

I froze as she finished that. That's what Josh tried to tell me, but I was so pissed off.

"He was asking if I had been sleeping around before they brought me here. I told him to screw himself."

"Mila," she said in a frustrated tone.

"Have you heard anything about this guy or found anything to do with him?"

"No, and I've looked through everywhere I can think of."

I sighed, now frustrated.

"He won't believe me if I tell him the truth."

"Camila, just sit down with him and explain. That is literally the only thing you need to do."

I took a deep breath and nodded. We picked up more sticks and some logs and headed back to the cabin. As I followed Amelia, I turned to look into the darkness. Something was there....I felt....

"Mila!?" I heard and snapped out of my trance. I quickly followed Amelia back to the others.

We all sat around the pit, the sounds of laughter and talking were so soothing to me. I felt warm and comfortable as we all chatted. Then I dared ask a serious question to Bracks and Shawna.

"Hey, so, how did you two meet?"

They looked at each other, sharing a look, but Shawna nodded.

"It was an arranged thing," she said, holding Bracks's hand.

"Oh, was it?"

"Yeah, you see my coven lived in an area with wolves, so they asked for protection like Emma did."

"So you're the lamb they sacrificed."

They looked at each other, and laughed a little.

"No, but my father thought he needed extra protection, so he married me off, being the only girl in his family."

"Your father....so what happened....um...with.." I made a motion to her face.

"My father did it, insurance that I wouldn't run off with anyone else."

I felt my insides twist in discomfort.

"Do all covens to this?" I asked.

"Not all. There are some witches that have powers to protect themselves against us, black witches."

"So what kind of coven were you from Shawna?"

"From all the 'witches' in the coven there were at least four of us that had powers. My father was a shapeshifter and my mother a witch."

"Wow, and you didn't get any of his powers?"

"Nope, my brothers got all that."

I sat there, my mind wondering. What about my grandma? What kind of coven was she in? After a little while longer, I found myself lying on the ground in a sleeping bag. I was cold and tired.

"I don't think that's a good idea." I heard Josh's voice, as he came to sit on a log next to me.

"This way, I'll freeze to death."

"Camila, why do you joke like that? Were those three weeks really that awful?" I opened my eyes and looked up at him. For the first time, I could actually see emotion in those honey- colored eyes again.

"No, but it's not the kind of situation I wanted to be in."

"What situation is that?" he asked.

"Why do you act as if you didn't wrong me in some kind of way, when you know you did!"

He stared at me for a moment, but sighed and nodded.

"You're still hung up on that, we were kids. Just let it go."

"You left me when I needed you the most, Joshua. I thought we were there for each other!"

I didn't realize I was standing at that point. This was the reason I didn't say anything before. I knew I would explode. Josh got to his feet and cleaned his pants off.

"I didn't realize you were in such danger, or was it when you saw me with Sophia that you realized that you cared so much?"

I wanted to scream at him, because he was right. I didn't realize that I was in love with him, until I saw him with her.

"I got things mixed up, I thought we were heading in one direction, but I guess we were on two different paths."

"Meaning what?" he pushed a little.

"Forget it, I don't even know how to explain things right now. I'm exhausted and I would rather not make a scene!"

He glared at me but nodded and walked away. I flopped back on the sleeping bag, my body now really feeling heavy and drained. I wanted to cry, scream, or just run away. I scolded myself, because I wasn't a little girl anymore, and a mate bond is permanent until death really parted us.

I was so lost in thought, that when I felt Shawna touch my shoulder, I jumped. She gave me a sad smile.

"Josh asked me to get a room ready. Why don't you go get some rest? I'll come get you when dinner is ready."

Even when I was pissed off at him, he still took care of me. My insides twisted, reminding me how much of a b***h I was. I nodded and I got up and followed Shawna. She took me to a room, upstairs when I walked in I realized it was Josh's room. I froze in the doorway.

"What's wrong with my old room?" I asked, my voice shaking a little. Shawna looked at me with sadness but came over and took my hands in hers.

"I know this isn't easy, but I also know Josh won't try anything until you're ready. You two are mated, he needs you close to him, even if he doesn't show it much..he's hurting too, Camila."

Now I really want to cry. I didn't know much about werewolves, but I've learned the basics. Touch, scent, were very important to them. I saw it with Bracks and Shawna the one time I saw them come back from hunting. Having his mate close made him at ease, comforted. I haven't given Josh that or anything.

"Okay, thanks." I said, walking into the room and sitting on the bed.

"The bathroom has a shower, and it's all ready," she informed me. I nodded and she walked out. Closing the door behind her. Once alone in the room, I felt nervous, but I looked around and found my bags and realized I didn't bring any sweats or pajamas. I groaned and looked around. I didn't feel right taking a shirt from Josh, but I wasn't going to sleep naked either. I looked in the drawers and grabbed one of his t-shirts and a pair of his sweat pants, and headed into the bathroom. It was just like the other bathrooms in the house, it wasn't as big as the one at home..or I mean..Josh's house. A frustrated giggle escaped me, I was really losing it. I turned on the shower and let it warm up as I took my clothes off. Once it was hot, I jumped in and let the water settle my nerves. That's when I realized I didn't bring in my shampoo or body wash.

"Damn it." I groaned. Looking down, I saw a few bottles on the shelves in the shower. Looking closely, it was a male shampoo and body wash. Smelling it and Josh's scent hit me. It wasn't overwhelming, it was a very light fragrance, but I'd smelled it on him. My core ached as I washed my hair and body. Once I was done, I pulled on the shirt and the pants. The shirt also smelled like him, flashes of my dreams ran through my head, but I shook it off. As I walked out of the bathroom, sleep was so heavy that I didn't hesitate to get into bed. Josh's scent surrounded me and I couldn't fight sleep anymore.

(Josh's POV)

We all sat at the table talking and just enjoying each other's company. Over the thirteen years, I had missed Camila so much, I had known she was my mate from the first day I meet her. I know I messed up by not telling her my seceret, and then dating Sophia without telling her. Now that we're more or less married I want to make things up to her if she ever gave me the chance.

I've been fighting my wolf to keep us from going into her room, and completeing the mate bond, but I wanted to give her time. I looked up as Shawna went up to wake Camila. What I had been hearing her talk in her sleep, could it be she has a lover out there?

My wolf growled at that thought, we won't lose her, not again.

"Camila is gone!" Shawna called in fear.

I quickly got up and followed her to my room. The window was open and you could see foot prints on the roof in the snow. I jumped out of the window onto the roof.

"Tell the others to come just in case." I order Shawna and she ran out of the room. I shifted and went looking for Camila.

(Camila's POV)

The ground was cold but I barely noticed it. The cold also bit into my arms and face, as I walked further and further into the forest towards who knows where. I remember going to bed, but then a voice started to call me, when I opened my eyes I couldn't control my own body. All I could do was follow the voice.

"stop." he said and I did. Then a man stepped out from the trees, he was smiling from ear to ear. He looked demented as he walked toward me with a dagger. He walked right up to me.

"We finally met, cousin, but unfortunately for you not for long."

He then slipped the dagger into my hand, and closed my fingers around the handle.

"Stab this into your heart." he ordered.