Chapter 199

Avery’s pov Xade and I exchange a worried glance and hurry back indoors. My feet are muddy but I do not care. We find Xadeon, Xaden, Eloise and Kaylee circled around my mom who had her phone in her trembling hands.

She flicks her eyes over to me when we begin to approach them. ” They’re calling,” she says shakily. “The hunters. They’re calling.”

I step forward, my heart pounding. ” Answer the call and put it on speaker,”

Mom takes a deep breath and nods, sliding her hand over the answer button. The sound on the other end is grainy. “Hello?” Mom’s voice strains with tension.

The call suddenly ended and we all looked at each other confused. Xadeon’s jaw ticks. ” Fucking hunters and their games,” he looks at his sons. “It’s clear they know where we are, they know where Avery is hiding. We need every warrior wolf at every corner of the borders. We can’t let anyone slip in.”

What about Alister? Still no idea when he will show up?” Xaden asks and his dad grows stiff. “We all need to be on the lookout and not slack off. Avery stay indoors, your mom can also stay here since they already know she’s your mom. If I know Alister, he will come on his own terms. He will surprise us.”

Great,” Xade grumbles under his breath.” We have a fucking asshole of a werewolf council leader on our ass and also the strongest hunter group close behind. And let’s not forget the bounty on Avery’s head, it’s not only hunters that will want her.”

Xadeon’s brows furrowed. ” You’re right, we are not dealing with only the hunters. We are dealing with more,” Xadeon looks at me. “We need to be ready for anything, including you Avery. You are now part of this world.

Hey,” I whirl around to see my mom at the door. Xade, Xaden and Xadeon were in a meeting and I had come here into his room to get away from everything. I needed to be alone for a bit.

Hey,” I say softly, my eyes pulling away from her to stare back at the window blankly.

“Can I come in?” her voice is soft and the sound of her footfalls on the floor already tells me she has entered the room without waiting for my response.

Sure,” I utter sarcastically just as she closes the door behind her.

Avery,” she sighs, nearing. I look down at the mattress, grinding my teeth in frustration. Sooner or later we needed to talk about it. The mattress dips a little as she sits down, the tension in the air suffocating me.

“You have no idea how many times I wanted to tell you about this world,” she whispers and I lift my eyes, staring at her and seeing the regret swirl in her irises.

“You know it’s funny that you made me grow up with Xade. The very same world you tried to protect me from,” my eyes narrowed. ”

Sure you don’t remember him, but something tells me you knew he was a werewolf.”

She looks down at her hands in shame, nodding. “I don’t remember him, but I can spot a werewolf from afar. If I had let you be friends with him then I must have not seen him as a threat.”

I shook my head. “It feels like I don’t even know the real you Mom. It feels like I had been brought up on lies-

“Your dad loved this world despite him only being human,” she smiles fondly, cutting into my words. “I left the hunter world for him because I saw how much he was very fond of werewolves. I couldn’t see myself hurting them….or it would’ve hurt him.”

She then sighs wearily. “I just-I wanted to protect you from the dangers. I wanted you to have a normal life even though it wouldn’t always be possible. That life as a hunter, I was ashamed of it. I didn’t want you to know about that part of me. What I had been before.”

I played with my fingers, nodding. ” And I get that,” I whisper. “Is that why you were mad I am pregnant?” I look up and catch her warm gaze filled with regret.

She sighs. “I am sorry for how I reacted. I know the consequences of a werewolf mating a human,” she reaches for my hand. “I was scared and panicking about what may come from this,” she grasp me hard. “But then I remember who is my daughter and I know if anyone can do this and adapt to this world, it will be you. You’re stronger than I know, stronger than me,”

Her lips curl into a smile. ” Xade loves you. I can see that. It was fated and maybe that’s why I never stopped you from being friends with him. Maybe I already knew then.”