Nate

Guardian Angels

Pack

Volume 3

Virginie T.

Translated by Fanny Morvan

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The Guardian Angels Pack : Nate

Virginie T.

 Prequel

— Do not cry my darlings. Stay close to me. Everything will be fine.

— Mom, don’t let go.

— Never Sam. I will always be with you.

The man pushing them forward sneers into his beard. He already knows that the mother lies without knowing it. They never let families stay together. It is so much easier to manipulate them and make parents docile when they don’t know what their offspring are going through.

One might think that the shapeshifter is sadistic, but it is not so. After all, they are the masters of the world, or at least they will be soon. Fatels are only a means to an end, a sub—race with no interest except to serve them until death, a death that could come soon if they do not obey.

He can’t wait to sink his teeth into the fresh flesh and taste the warm blood of the fatels and feel the power of it. He may even start with this fatel who hugs her daughters with such desperation that she will endure anything to protect them.

The little one can’t be more than five years old. Her power is in its infancy, it will be a piece of cake to use her to threaten the parents. Maybe he’ll even make her his partner later, when she will be old enough and totally submissive to the clan.

He has heard that it is part of the plan of some packs to keep the youngest children alive to rally them to their cause and then use their power for their project.

He is a powerful and loyal beta. If he asks his alpha for this favor, he will certainly grant it.

It has already been since the little group of fatels was taken prisoner and this brat has not stop whining since she arrived. It is unbearable. The alpha keeps the two sisters chained at the back of the main room, trophies symbolizing their power, but as much as the 10—year—old is silent, her little sister is noisy.

She only cries and complains, and our overdeveloped hearing becomes a real disability. After the surprise visit of a pack of leopards, it was decided to take the girl to her mother to finally shut her up. It will also serve as a warning to her mother who has a tendency to rebel these days, and that the punishment of her husband has not calmed her.

We left the guy bleeding with his wife trying to nurse him back to health. She couldn’t do it. The shifters were happy to bite him once he was down and defenceless. He lost a lot of blood. No problem. Others will take his place. But it is true that it is becoming difficult to flush out these people.

They are, as it seems, on the verge of extinction. Too bad, the clan liked to feel their blood on their tongue and in their veins. This has become their drug and some members become irascible without their daily dose.

The mother became hysterical when her daughter was taken away. Damn, she only has a few bruises. It’s not the few slaps she was given to shut her up that will kill her.

Only, the mother, about to burst into tears in front of her little girl’s swollen face, tempted the devil. She tried to gather the little strength she had left to call upon her magic. Big mistake. The last one of her life. The beta realized it immediately.

Shifters have a sixth sense. They can smell the magic that flows through the veins of fatels, and the smell intensifies when a fatel uses his gift. He then took pleasure in torturing this woman in front of her daughter until she succumbed, leaving her to fall limply to the ground next to her deceased husband.

He then found it amusing to leave the girl with the bodies of her beloved parents with a warning : Either she falls in line, or her sister would suffer the same fate. As for her, her fate could be much worse. She is destined to play the puppet. When she will finally understand that she lives only to serve them, she will be forcibly united to the beta, will become his legitimate partner. She is not his soul mate, but that does not matter. It is not a question of love, but of control. And the beta hopes to have her at his side in the future when the time will come for him to take the place of his aging and increasingly neglectful alpha.

With a fatel at his side, he will become invincible.

 Chapter 1

Sam

There has been a lot of commotion in the last few days, like the pack is in turmoil, and I’ve seen some unfamiliar faces through the window, but in the end, I don’t know anything about it.

Peter always says that I am an integral part of the pack, but in practice, nothing is less true. They are afraid of me just as I am afraid of them. And they have good reasons to fear me, just as I have towards them. Not this particular clan, but shifters in general. They are not a people I can trust, no matter what they say, and I learned that the hard way.

It’s hard to bond in that environment. Peter, my adoptive father, tried everything to make me feel comfortable, to make me trust the Treat. But I never did. I know I’m safe with the alpha and Greg. For some reason, I was never afraid of the shifter, and he never doubted me.

Maybe it was because he was only a child when we met, and his self6preservation instinct is practically inexistent. I close my eyes with all my strength to stop the images that come to me in a burst.

Blood, screams, tears, and helplessness. I am useless and dangerous, and I can feel Ashley pulling away from me more and more. She wants to make her own life and I do not belong there. I have never really been. I can see that though. I am able to hide my fatel origins, but what is the use since I can’t stand to be approached? My older sister, so beautiful and so sociable, left the territory of the pack to live among people and have a job. I can not do the same. I am too suspicious and too unstable. We don’t have the same background. Peter’s treatment helps me control my gift, but it doesn’t work miracles.

My powers are part of me, they can’t be taken away and I don’t want them to be. They are my defence against the outside world. I am aware that I am a public danger to the outside world, which is why my house is on the edge of the territory, far from the other houses of the clan. Only my sister insisted on being near me, but the isolation soon became too much for her. And that idiot Nathan did nothing to help me convince her to stay when she decided to live outside the territory. I can’t stand that one. I don’t like the way he looks at Ashley, with that mix of concupiscence and evil glare. If he is alive, it is only because I made a promise to my sister never to kill a Treat, and I always keep my promises. At least, the ones I make to her, I keep. However, that doesn’t stop me from having a little fun at their expense when a member annoys me. I spend time as best I can.

— Sam? Where are you?

This is the person who always makes me smile. Unfortunately, I suspect in advance what she’s going to tell me. She’s leaving again, as usual. She told me she had to go see her best friend, and I’m surprised she stayed with the pack longer than expected. It looks like the time for goodbyes is today.

— Sam! Why didn’t you answer?

My sister is glowing. She is a beautiful woman by nature. She is tall, blonde with green eyes and a porcelain complexion. I wish I looked more like her. But she looks even more stunning today. There is something different about her eyes that I can’t quite figure out. I don’t have her gift; I can’t read minds like she can. Sometimes, I think it would have been better if our powers were reversed. Ashley has much better control than I do.

— Lost in your thoughts, little sister?

I’m thirty years old, and she mothers me like I’m a little girl. Deep down, I am in many ways. And like a child, I need a hug to soothe my tormented heart. I’m hugging her, making her flinch. Obviously, I surprised her. It is true that I got up suddenly to take her against me without even saying a word.

— Is everything okay, Sam?

— Yes. I just wanted a hug.

— Are you sure?

I hate that she worries about me. She shouldn’t. That’s not her role. She’s my sister, not my mother, and it’s time I let her reclama her place. However, I can’t do it and I blame myself all the more. Anyway, I can’t hide anything from her. Well, almost nothing. She leaves me my privacy, never willingly interferes in my mind, but it is so unstable that, in some cases, she captures my mood without wanting to.

She told me this when we were young. But no matter how hard I tried, I never managed to barricade my feelings behind walls. She’s looking at me with concern and I am sure she sensed my gloom. It’s not a very good day. However, she acts as if nothing has happened, and I thank her for that.

— I’d like to introduce you to someone.

She has met someone. That’s why she’s so beautiful. She’s in love and I already hate the man who is going to take my sister away from me. I knew this day would come, but I’m not ready for it and a storm rages inside of me, between anger and despair. I am above all sad to lose her, because I don’t doubt for a moment that this man will refuse to have a crazy sister—in—law in his life, in theirs.

A tear rolls down Ashley’s cheek and I’m sorry. I know it’s coming from me. My sister wipes her cheek and holds me tighter.

— Everything is fine, Sam. It’s Sevana. I told you about her.

I don’t understand. I thought her friend was far away. I nod, though, my nose nestled in her neck wrapped in a silk scarf.

— Would you let her into your house?

In front of my suspicious air, she reassures me, as always.

— She won’t hurt you; I promise.

I shrug my shoulders. Of course, she can’t do anything to me. Nobody can do anything against me. I learned that too the hard way, thanks to an anaesthetic dart stuck in my buttocks. But this is not the time to think about it.

A woman has just entered my den. I am not a shifter; however, I am territorial, and it is difficult to accept her presence in my house. Her pleasant smile helps me to relax a little, as well as the presence of Ashley who holds my hand to encourage me.

— Hello Sam. My name is Sevana. I’ve heard a lot about you.

— So have I.

I have. Ashley was full of praise for her, and I don’t understand why. Sevana is a small woman with black hair and an innocent look. A small human like there must be thousands of them, I imagine.

— Don’t be so surprised Sam. She’s exceptional, believe me.

— I don’t want to offend anyone, but she’s ordinary.

Why are the two friends giggling at each other?

“I’m not as ordinary as I look”. My eyes go from Ashley to her friend and my amazed look makes them laugh even more.

— Ash, is it you who…

— You know it’s not.

True. The presence I felt in my head was less intrusive and the voice wasn’t my sister’s. She stayed on the surface, just communicating without really entering.

— She’s a telepath!

I’m surprised. I never thought I would see another fatel. I thought my sister and I were the last of our people and that they would die out along with us.

— I am a fatel, yes, just like you. I am a prophetess. Well, among other things.

Ashley nods at her and I don’t quite understand. A silent conversation ensues. Magic crackles in the air like an intangible, invisible fog. I’ve always been able to feel it, like a sixth sense. Another quirk of mine. Perhaps because I am always on the alert, waiting for potential danger, and the power of fatels can be extremely dangerous. I find it hard to bear being kept away in my own home.

— Can I know what’s going on?

It’s obvious that Sevana wants to tell me something and my sister is against it.

— Ashley, I can hear everything. I’m solid.

She frowns. She doesn’t believe me. Neither do I, but I want to know what’s been going on for the last few days and this fatel has the answers, I am sure of it.

— You trust me, don’t you?

Of course. She is my sister. The only one who will never betray me.

— Forever.

— So, promise me you will listen to the end without getting scared.

I don’t like where this conversation is going. However, I trust my sister’s judgement. Besides, listening does not commit you to anything more.

— I promise to listen.

Ashley is undecided, but her friend makes the decision for her and drops a bombshell I wasn’t expecting.

— I am the alpha female of the Guardian Angels pack.

I instantly tense up. This fatel is linked to a shapeshifter. I know exactly how she got there. I was only five years old, but I could see and understand everything. I too should have been bound by force to one of them. So what does this woman want? Is it help? Or does she intend to betray us and feed us to her clan as if we were nothing more than animals being led to slaughter?

— Sam stop.

Ashley squeezes my shoulder, but I only have eyes for Sevana. I unconsciously move closer to her and now see the bite on her neck. I know what it means. Peter explained it to me a long time ago so that I wouldn’t be frightened when I saw the couples in his pack proudly displaying it. How can someone be happy about being bitten? How can you enjoy suffering?

— Sam, that’s enough!

I blink, regaining some semblance of control over my emotions, and realize I’m way to close to Sevana, I could touch her by reaching out my arm, and her nose is bleeding. I should feel bad about it, but I can’t. Too many dark thoughts are racing through my head. Promises of retaliation that a child should not have heard. Besides, Sevana doesn’t mind and wipes her nose with the back of her hand without further ado.

— I’ve never had a nosebleed in my life. This is a first. I’m all for new experiences.

I’m completely taken aback by her thinking. Even more than her smirk.

— Now that you have demonstrated you power to me, it’s my turn to show you one of mine.

One of her? I don’t have time to question Ashley before my coffee table begins to rise into the air, pitching and spinning. Sevana has her hands in front of her, making them dance like a conductor. She quickly stops and my table settles back into its place on the floor, as if nothing had happened.

My face must be funny, because despite her obvious fatigue, Sevana laughs lightly.

— Now that I have your full attention, we can talk. But first, I need to sit down and drink something sweet or I’ll collapse. And a tissue too.

My sister is quicker to respond than I am.

— Come on, I’ll make you coffee with double cream and sugar.

I watch as the two friends leave arm in arm towards the kitchen. Sevana relying partly on my sister to move forward, and I stand in the middle of my living room, unable to react to what has just happened. I don’t really know what just happened. How could I? I was very young when my parents disappeared.

I didn’t know much about fatels, except that each member of this people had powers that developed with age and practice. I should have started my training on my sixth birthday, but that never happened. Events did not allow me to gain the knowledge I would have needed and Ashley, only five years older than me, did not know enough to help me. She had been taught how to use her own power but had not yet been told about the others that existed. This knowledge was not acquired until the age of twelve or thirteen, as it was considered secondary knowledge. The fatels were not entirely wrong. What’s the point of knowing that someone can fly if we can’t fly ourselves?

So, I didn’t know that some fatels had telekinesis. But I know one thing for sure: a fatel has only one gift. So how is it that Sevana can also speak telepathically? Not to mention that my sister said she was a prophetess.

For the first time in a long time, my curiosity overcame my distrust, and I joined the two women who were sitting in front of a steaming cup, obviously waiting for me.

— Now that I have your full attention, we can talk like adults.

I don’t say a word, totally focused on her every move. Ashely squeezes my hand, but also remains silent.

— As I told you, I am a fatel. I am also the alpha female of a pack. Ashley gave me the broad outline of your story, but mine is very different. In a word, I have been living with humans, unaware of my origins. A few weeks ago, I was attacked by shifters at the hospital where I was working with Ashley.

A dull anxiety rises inside of me. It could have been my sister instead of her. Why didn’t anyone tell me? The answer is simple: I would have set the hospital on fire, and everyone in my path, good or bad, would have died.

— Sam, Listen to the rest. It’s all good.

Ash has this hope in her eyes that I don’t know why. It’s important to her that I keep my cool. She’s used to my mood swings and has never blamed me for them despite the pain they cause her. This time, however, she begs me to control myself. This story is very important to her, and I want to know why. My voice is hoarse as I urge Sevana to continue her story.

— Your father, Peter, treated me remarkably well. And a pack, associated with the governor, has been assigned to protect me.

— What pack would be interested in that? You said you lived as a human.

— A pack that hates dissenters as much as we do.

— Like the Treat?

— Yes, they do. Except they fight them.

 Chapter 2

Sam

A pack fighting its own? I can’t imagine that. I have to admit though that Peter has always protected us, Ashley and me, even in spite of my shortcomings, and I’m sure he would fight for us.

The difference is that he took us in when we were children. He bonded with us like a father with his daughters. It’s different for the pack involved. They fight to defend strangers.

— Why?

— Why are they defending innocents, regardless of their origin, against dissidents?

I nod my head.

— Each member of the Guardian Angels pack has his own reasons.

This is not an answer, but a dodge. She’s ducking. Her story must be false. A lie to convince me to join her cause.

— You’re not convinced, are you. For my partner, Connor, it’s about revenge.

I understand revenge. That feeling has never left me in twenty—five years, and it’s a need that’s slowly eating me up, bit by bit.

— A rebel pack killed his family because they were hiding fatels. When the governor announced his intention to counteract the shifters’ excesses, he joined the cause.

A question I have been aching to ask. I need to know.

— Is he using you?

— What?

Her look of surprise and disgust startles me.

— No. He’s overprotective to a fault. I had to threaten to hang him from a tree to get him to let me come see you. He annoys me, he snarls, but mostly he’s the best thing that ever happened to me.

It is mawkish and pathetic. Love really does make you blind!

— You’re just in love. You don’t realize anything.

— Connor is my soul mate, Sam. And I gained so much more than him when we sealed our bond.

— I don’t get it.

— You live in a pack, but I get that you’re pretty … independent.

That’s a nice way of saying I am separate from everything and everyone.

— Have you heard of soul mates among shifters?

— Not really. It’s like being in love, right? Only more bestial.

She smiles, obviously recalling a pleasant moment. When was the last time I had a moment like that?

— The bond between soul mates is much deeper than a classic love affair. Shapeshifters may have several mates in their lifetime, but they only have one soul mate. Once they meet her, she is the only one that matters. She becomes the center of their universe, their reason for living. Once united, soul mates can’t live without each other. No pun intended.

Which means that if one dies, so does the other. So she gained the assurance that he would not kill her.

— So, you can’t die.

— Eh?

Ashley takes over.

— Connor would never hurt his companion.

— Only because if he kills her, he dies.

— No, Sam. You haven’t been listening. He would never hurt her because she means everything to him. She’s the great love of his life. The one and only.

— And that I’ll kick his ass if he bothers me.

What’s that? I think they are forgetting one thing, the two obsessive romantics.

— Fatels don’t stand a chance against an angry, determined shifter.

— Normally, maybe, but there’s nothing traditional about me anymore. I’m connected to Connor. We’re linked, hence the bite.

I wince as I look at her again. The sight of this mark is almost unbearable and it shows on my face.

— This is the only way for a shifter to be permanently united with her mate. He has never bitten me ever since. He is not with me for my blood, Sam.

This is maybe what he made her believe. But in the end…

— As I told you, I gained much more than he did. I am a prophetess originally, but the bonding has given me other gifts.

I widen my eyes and watch her carefully. There is no sign of a lie. And Ash would have known if it were a lie. You can’t hide anything from her unless you focus on it.

— Are you stronger than the shifter?

— I am stronger than Connor. And although he continues to nurture me like a fragile little flower, I also know that he is relieved that I am able to defend myself against the rebels.

— That's all very nice, I'm happy for you that you found one of the few trustworthy metas, but why are you telling me all this story?

I look at them and Sevana waits apparently that Ashley gives me the end of the story. Only my sister does not loosen her lips and I fear the worst. A bad feeling crosses my mind. I get up with a jump, having suddenly the need to walk so much my blood boils in my veins.

— You want me to unite with one of them?

Ashley joins me in a rush and stands in my way so I can watch her.

— No, of course not! I would never ask you to do something like that.

My blood pressure is easing a bit, but I’m still waiting.

— So what?

— Sevana is returning to her new territory with the Guardians, and I’m going with them.

I am devastated by this news. My sister is leaving. She is leaving the Treat for good, because I know that you can’t belong to two packs. So she leaves me too, at the same time. I let myself fall on the ground and I only wish one thing, loneliness.

— Sam, understand me. I don’t have a choice.

I’m raising my head vigorously. What do you mean, no choice? Is someone pressuring her? Is Nathan still picking on her?

— Is Nathan still pressuring you to flee?

— No. Nathan is dead, my companion killed him.

My blood runs cold. Ashley immediately puts her hand over her mouth, but her revelation did not escape me, far from it.

— Your companion?

My sister rocks from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. I suspect what will follow, a foreboding creeps into me and fear exudes from every pore of my skin. I reach out to hear and pull off her scarf. I instantly see the bite mark on her neck. I knew it. Ashley never wears scarfs, never. I could swear she struggled. It’s a nasty wound that must have made her suffer in agony. Rage fights inside me with incomprehension and a sense of betrayal.

After all we’ve been through, she has surrendered and thrown herself into the lion’s den. I clench my fists so hard that my nails dig into my palms.

— Sam, calm down.

My sister has tears in her eyes while her friend has a nosebleed. I can’t stand to see them being manipulated like this. My sister deserves better.

— Bring your companion.

This word literally tears my mouth off.

— It is normal that I meet him since he is part of the family.

My sweet tone doesn’t fool anyone and they both shake their heads in denial.

— Not as long as you’re in that state of mind.

I feel her magic rubbing against me, trying to get into my head to soothe me, but I’ve been able to stay sealed off from her power for a long time and she should know better.

— Stop it.

I don’t want to hurt her. She is my sister, half of my heart, however, I am wary of her today. It’s an unpleasant feeling. I always thought that she would be the only one I could loosen my attention with and now, there is nothing more wrong.

— We’re in love, Sam.

— Open your eyes. This is nothing like a love mark.

I point to the deep tooth marks on her skin.

— That’s a nasty wound you were forced to accept.

— Sam, let me show you and explain. I beg of you.

Her tears are as much hers as mine, and I hate myself for making her suffer like this.

— Don’t ask me to choose. I wouldn’t be able to.

Wouldn’t she prefer me to her torturer? Why? I take a deep breath to control my storm of emotions, but remain on the alert.

— What do you want to show me?

She pulls her shirt a little and I see a second, sharper bite.

— It’s the union mark that Sean made for me. You’re right, the other is a wound and I was against it.

My anger spikes. Is this how she thinks she can calm me down?

— Nathan did it to me. He betrayed the Treat and tried to claim me by force. He had me kidnapped by a dissident alpha, Sam. Sean came to rescue me with Sevana and her mate.

My sister was missing and I was not informed of anything. It’s worse than being the last wheel, it’s being insignificant.

— Sean killed Nathan to protect me. And he didn’t force me of anything. He was ready to wait to claim me. He was very protective with me, and he will never ever bite me. He’s not with me for my blood.

I am a little lost. Dissidents don’t fight with themselves. On the contrary, they shared fatels blood so that other packs owe them.

— I want to see him.

— And you have the right to. I just want you to calm down. He’s a part of me, of my soul, and if you hurt him, I would suffer a lot.

I nod to show her that I understand. Sevana grabs a tissue to mop up the dried blood under her nose that has stopped flowing.

— I leave you with the family, I need to rest and Connor is anxious.

— You’re part of the family Sevana.

They smile at each other and I feel a twinge of sadness that they are so close.

— I know, but I came to your rescue when he wouldn’t let me be on the front lines, and I had to fight him to come see Sam with you.

She looks at me with a shrug.

— He didn’t want me near you.

I get it. I have a certain reputation among the Treat that certainly doesn’t inspire much confidence.

— I have to take it easy on him or I’ll make him crazy.

With that, she leaves the room and my house.

— Is she acting against her alpha’s wishes?

Ashley shakes her head.

— She’s standing up to her mate, that’s different.

Maybe it is. Or not. Actually, I don’t know.

Three sharp knocks on my door startle me.

— Easy Sam. It’s Sean, my companion. Before opening him, I must warn you.

I squint my eyes, suspicious, waiting for the next part.

— He’s bossy. And stubborn. He’s a beta, you know. A beta shifter.

And that suits her? She who can’t take orders?

— I understand your doubts, but he’s my soul mate. I fell in love with him at first sight. Which doesn’t mean he doesn’t get on my nerves sometimes!

— Go open the door for him. He’s waiting and I wouldn’t want him to break down my door.

Indeed, he started banging on it again, with more intensity.

— True. He blew mine up when Nathan attacked me and I wouldn’t open. He’s quite capable of that.

And I’m the one who’s judged unbalanced?

 Chapter 3

Sam

The man who walks through my door is a shifter, no doubt about it. He is tall, taller than Ashley, whom he hugs as if his life depended on it. He’s a tall blond man with piercing golden eyes, sizing me up as I do. And grunting.

At me? Or at Ashley? I’m not sure, but I can confirm, this guy is as unstable as I am and I know how an uncontrollable animorph can get. My sister elbows him in the ribs to get his attention.

— Stop grunting!

He stops instantly, obeying at once, which does not fail to amaze me.

— I’m sorry. Reflex.

He looks at her and his eyes change from golden to molten gold. I am blown away by the intensity of his gaze, filled with adoration for my sister. I never paid attention to the couple in the pack. I never paid attention to the pack in general, to tell the truth.

So, I don’t know the ins and outs of the bonding and soul mates. But whether I like it or not, whether I accept it or not, the depth of his feelings for Ashley is obvious. There’s no need to fool myself, he’s not with her for her gift or her blood, he’s with her as a person, and I certainly would never have believed it if I hadn’t seen them together.

My kind—hearted sister looks at him in exactly the same way. It’s sickening. I think they’ve forgotten I’m there.

They are in their world, in their bubble. I am a little jealous. I, who often feel alone and misunderstood, can only dream of experiencing such harmony with someone one day. I could be mean and make him bleed to remind them that I am there, only my sister would surely reproach me.

— You’ll have plenty of time to look at yourself later. And especially, somewhere else, outside my house.

Ashley blushed to her ears as she looked at me, looking contrite.

— Hello. I’m Sean, Ashley’s companion.

He takes a step forward without letting go of my sister and holds out his hand. I don’t like to be touched and the fact that he is more than a head taller than me makes me nervous. His powerful shifter aura dominates and disturbs me.

In front of my sister’s pleading eyes, I make the effort to grab his hand for a thousandth of a second out of politeness.

— Sam.

He tilts his head to the side and takes a deep breath. It’s a shifter thing. He smells my scent. He can also pick up my emotions through this and I don’t appreciate it. A little trickery never killed anyone. Didn’t it? Sean frowns, pinches the bridge of his nose, and starts grunting again.

— Sean, you’re doing it again.

He doesn’t stop despite my sister’s comment. He keeps staring at me.

— You have an interesting gift. Very rare too.

I can’t believe my sister told him. Traitress. He knows I played a trick on him.

— Don’t look at your sister with that dark look. She didn’t say anything. I just put the pieces together. You have fun making people’s noses bleed and you just took away my sense of smell. I take it that you manipulate the atoms of the human body to your liking.

My wide—open eyes, as well as Ashley’s, confirm these words. No one has ever guessed before.

— Don’t be so surprised. I know very well fatels powers. Now, please, if you could give me back my abilities.

He knows very well fatels powers? How is it possible? He must approximately have Ashley’s age and fatels don’t mix with other peoples. Simple courtesy visits on occasion, but that was the end of it. He couldn’t have known much with a few visits.

Unless, of course, he was the child of a splinter pack that held fatels prisoner to wrest their knowledge and their lives.

— I hate nosebleeds.

He holds his nasal appendage dripping red between his fingers.

— Stop it, Sam.

I hear the anguish in Ashley’s voice, but a veil of pure rage darkens my mind. He was one of the dissidents, I am sure of it. I increase the pressure and my power grows. His eyes are now crying tears of blood. Yet the shifter remains calm, no sign of panic on his face, and he doesn’t move a muscle. My sister, on the other hand, is in a tizzy. She should know that I would never hurt her.

The reverse is not true. I feel an intense pain in my hand, where she hit me. She didn’t hit me hard, but the pain is burning, and when I lift my hand, I see my skin reddened, as if burned. I lose my focus and at the same time my hold on Sean, who rushes towards Ash.

— Shhh. Everything’s fine. I have nothing serious.

He takes her against him, in his arms, and cradles her like a child, staining her beautiful blond hair and pale skin with red. This scarlet color on her alabaster skin makes me nauseous and I instinctively lean forward.

That’s when I see fire on Ashley’s hands. There are fucking flames on her fingertips, and these two think it’s normal! Sean meets my eyes and explains.

— Your sister acquired pyrokinesis through our union, only she doesn’t have good control over her new gift yet. She didn’t mean to hurt you.

My sister is playing with fire? In every sense of the world! I finally understand Sevana’s words. The bond of union gives the fatels an undeniable advantage over their shifter partners.

My sister is perfectly capable of defending herself against Sean if he had the bad idea of hurting her, something he knew when they bonded because he saw it with Sevana and the alpha. So why did he do it anyway?

— Why did you claim her?

— Because she’s my soul mate and I love her.

No hesitation on his part, just a real certainty.

— How do you know the fatels?

— They raised me.

No sign of trickery. But his answer raises even more questions.

— Look, you don’t trust me and I don’t trust you. I’ll tell you my story when we know each other better.

— That’s never going to happen because you’re leaving. You’re leaving Treat territory.

He sighs and looks Ashley in the eye. My sister looks sad, defeated, and resigned. Determined to get on with her life without me, away from me, even if she doesn’t like it. A meager comfort.

— I have a deal to offer you. Take it or leave it, decision is yours, but the conditions are non—negotiable. In any case, I’m going back home, to the Guardian Angels pack, because I’m the beta and we’re defending a just cause I care about. That’s where I belong, and Ashley is going with me.

If I let loose, I’d make him pee blood, but my sister is tearful enough as it is. So I clench my teeth to answer.

— Go ahead, I’m listening.

— You can come with us and join the Guardian Angels. Like here, you will have your own house away from the others to be quiet. In return, you will follow the treatment that Peter gives you and you will train with me to learn how to channel your gift.

I didn’t expect this proposal. I am speechless. Not Ashley, who throws herself at Sean to kiss him full on the lips.

— You have changed your mind? You agree to let her come with us?

— It’s your sister? Besides, I never said no. I just told you it was going to be complicated.

It’s Ash’s idea. She wants me in her life. I just need one last piece of information before deciding.

— Will I have to bond with a shifter?

— I’d appreciate it if you made friends, or at least didn’t hurt anyone, but no, this isn’t about union. Not in any way. All members of the pack are free to make their own decision and choose their mate, including you.

— So, my choice is made. I accept.

— Good. One last warning: if you attack any one of us, you’re going right back to the Treat.

Ashley’s right, he’s a true beta. But he’s a lot fairer than that creep Nathan. I’m not going to miss that one. I never liked him and I’m not about to mourn his death.

My sister gives me a huge hug before leaving to pack her bags. We leave in two hours. In two hours, I’ll be leaving Treat territory, the only place I’ve known since I was six. I’ve never been anywhere else, never seen anything else. When Peter rescued us, we followed his pack from town to town. I was young, and more than a little confused. I have few memories of that time. When I was six, my powers began to develop, growing along with my anger and fear of strangers. The pack found this place and we moved in. I never left. I’ve never felt the need to, and most of all, I’m too afraid of the world to go exploring it.

My adoptive father also thought it was dangerous for others. I could have attacked the first shifter I came across and I wouldn’t have hesitated for a moment to kill him. And now I’m going to find myself in the middle of an unknown pack, in a foreign territory. It will take me superhuman efforts to keep calm and control my anxiety. It’s a good thing I’m not human, I’m a fatel.

However, I am not kidding myself. I won’t be able to manage my anger overnight, if I ever do, which will not be easy.

In any case, the journey to the Guardian territory is going to be hell. I’d rather had my back or Sean will send me home before we even get there. I need to see Peter. I’ve gotten into the habit of calling him when I need him to make the trip. Only, things are going to change so I might as well start now.

I walk up to my front door and pause. When was the last time I walked through this door? I can’t even remember. I’ve been a recluse for so long, wandering around my house or the back yard when the need for fresh air arises, which is rare.

Without giving myself more time to change my mind, as I would surely find a valid reason not to go, I turn the handle and find myself in the open air, the sun warming my skin with its rays.

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