Chapter 4

Talia (Age 30)

“Ugh! Adina, you need to hurry up! You’ll be late!” I shout at my pup. She is 10 years old now and will be going to a shared human and wolf school in town for 5th grade. She is always running late. I must make my meeting in time if I don’t want to hear my brother scorn me again.

“Adina!” I shouted louder this time. I hear her running downstairs. “Mom, must you shout? Taim wants to know if he is picking me up after school again today? Also, can I go out with friends after my homework is done? Please, please. I promise to not make Taim chase me down again!” She says pleadingly. I roll my eyes at her. “Taim is picking you up, and no to your friends till the weekend babe.” I replied. “But Mom!” Adina starts. “No BUTS!” I shouted. Who knew having a preteen was rough.

Taim walks in the front door. “ Hey my favorite girls, why are you giving your mom a hard time again?” He says while pointing at Adina. She just runs off into my car, and Taim gets in the driver seat. Taim eventually moved in with us about two years ago. While I was out on a mission, he had Adina at his place outside of Slivermoon Pack and they were attacked by rogues. We decided then that he should move in and be closer to the packhouse in case they were attacked again.

What’s great about having your own personal doctor living in your house, is that he even cooks, cleans, and manages with our schedules. He has been a blessing to us. I started paying him an income even though he refused because he works at the pack hospital when he is not needed here. I still send him money, and I know he only uses it for Adina. I check his accounts occasionally.

Once we arrive at Adina’s school, she hops put the car and runs over to Taim and gives him a big kiss on the cheek. “See you later my little Amira” Taim responds back and hugs her. “ Bye mom! See you at dinner and don’t bring work home with you!” Adina reminds me. I laugh and wave bye as I watch her catch up to her friends and chat.

We drive off back to my brother’s pack. As we head over there, I pull out some files that I had been looking at. Some human children have gone missing over the past two months. Usually, we don’t pay any attention to them. Most of the time, the children are alive or found and returned. My attention to these kids were because they look oddly similar to what had happened to me.

Since my return when I was eleven, my brother has been searching for my captors. We came upon these fifteen case files when I was doing a random check-in at the town police station. Well, who do you think controls the cops in this town. Yes, my brother owns the station. A tiny town called Round Top, Texas. Anything supernational, or suspicious of, gets turned over to my brother’s assassins. Known as Everest Assassins. We investigate crimes by our own, and decide if they are worthy enough to live.

Most cases they are not. What’s so great about me is after having five other mates reject me, I had gained more gifts. One of them being able to know when someone is lying, or even hiding something. As you know I have healing, and sight. Apparently, we can see bits of the future. We now can sense when pup is in danger. Like we can see her when it is happening and know her location. We can enter people’s minds, and bring back memories they either forgot or are hiding.

I use my abilities very well and usually the three (including me) assassins go with it. I will admit, it is hard sometimes because most supernatural’s are aware of what I can do, and try their best to fake any emotions or scents they have. So, it does make our jobs harder, but we manage in other ways just to make sure they are guilty.

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Once we pulled up to the pack house, Taim went to the hospital to start his workday. He works at both hospitals on different days. Today he is in Everest Pack. “Morning dear brother, I hope your mate is not taking care of your pups by herself again today.” I smirk at him as he shoots me a warning glance. “Talia, I mean it! You better be on your best behavior when the Alphas and guest come for the mating ball. We are hosting again this year and I can’t wonder why?” He approaches me and nudges me playfully. “It’s not my fault! I can’t help what spiked wine does to me. Besides seeing all these single bodies get mated make me vomit.” I laugh. “I get that. I do Talia. Just don’t stripe dance again! I clawed my eyes out that night. My mate was not pleased.” I start to laugh harder, “ Yeah, because ‘ My big bad mate who isn’t afraid of anything is afraid of a naked body!’”

We are laughing historically now. “Okay, but seriously Talia, not again this year. The male wolves frown upon it and I don’t want more threats towards you and your pup. You two are already the talking show.” I know he means well. Most wolves think that if I was mated, I wouldn’t be doing assassin work. Or “acting out” as they call. Why can’t I still be me, single or not? Why must she wolves change their behavior to suite a male wolf? “Honestly, I will never drink again. I was embarrassed, but not because of who I am, but because of why I did it.”

After I rejected Adina’s father, my brother only knew of him. I never told him of the other four. That year, I had discovered I was mated to an Alpha. Instead of accepting each other right away, he made an offer. Give my pup for adoption or make her a slave. Well, lets just say, his Beta and Gamma are still looking for him, and I will never tell where I hid his body. No one threatens my pup and gets away with it.

So, hurt with pain that year, I drank it away. “Talia, I know seeing others get mated is hard. You don’t have to come every year.” My brother reminds me. “The pack house is busy this time of year. I come to offer help when the warriors need it. I know you didn’t make the Everest Assassins for that, but we help when we can.” I smile up at him. He looks so much like dad with moms nose. I wish I hadn’t gone and hid from them. Maybe they would still be here if I hadn’t. “Come on, lets get this meeting with the Elders started.”