To Kill a Mate

Chapter 34

Will's POV

As soon as Maria ran the knife across Micah's throat, Simon appeared behind her as prompt as ever. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder and she shut her eyes, somehow knowing that it was him.

After Maria looked down at Micah's body one more time, she slowly got to her feet and her eyes locked with mine.

"Never forget how important family is, Will." Her voice cracked as tears ran down her cheeks. I nodded as a knot began to form in my throat, just by the way Maria's voice held a certain finality. Or maybe that knot was my heart, I wasn't sure.

Maria slowly turned around to face Simon as he held out one of his hands to her for her to take, his trade mark smirk glued to his face. As Maria placed her hand in his, the same blinding white light that appeared when Dawn was taken filled the forest around us and somehow left my ears ringing.

When I was finally able to open my eyes again, I almost expected to see Dawn standing there but instead there was Simon.

"What about Dawn?" I asked, stepping towards him. He only closed his eyes from a moment before he shook his head and reopened them. "We had a deal."

"And I uphold my deals." Simon's voice was strong but it didn't make me feel any better. "For Dawn to be returned alive, not all of her was able to return from the underworld."

"What is that supposed to mean?" My wolf was close to the surface.

"Ones body is easy to retrieve and piece back together but the mind is much more fragile. Memory is a delicate thing."

"What did you do to her?" Dread threatened to choke me. Simon only shook his head.

"Go find her in the place that you first found her before." And he disappeared.

My knees hit the ground as I felt the energy leave my body.

What was all of that supposed to mean?

Memory.

The place that you first found her before.

James.

"James!"

He walked up behind me, a look full of pity drawn across his face.

"You were the person that found her before. Where did you first meet Dawn?"

"The dinner, in town." I jumped to my feet. "Will!" He yelled after me, but I was already gone.

"Will, listen to me." James caught up with me and stopped me, standing in front of me. "You need to be prepared for the worst. Simon said her memory is delicate right now. You need to be ready for the fact that she might now remember you, at all."

"I understand that but I can't do this without her."

"And what if she remembers her assassin life and not you? She could try to kill you. Are you ready for that?"

"What if she doesn't remember anything at all? She could believe she's just a normal girl. That has to be a risk that I'm willing to take. I can't keep going like this, wondering if she is going to remember me or Marcus or nothing at all." I sighed. "I have to do this."

"Just be careful." James put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be right behind you, out of sight, if you need me." He gave an encouraging smile before he stepped to the side. As soon as I could, I bolted towards the mate that I had thought I had lost forever.

Once I was far enough away from everyone, I quickly stripped and shifted into my wolf putting my clothes in between my jaws as I ran as fast as I could towards town.

My heart threatened to explode in my chest a few times, but I finally made it to the edge of the forest that met the town and shifted back, pulling on my clothes. As I quickly made my way through town, I found the diner and froze.

She was sitting next to the window in one of the back booths, looking at something on her phone. She looked as beautiful as the day I met her, her blonde hair glowed against the sun that was peaking out through the clouds for the first time today.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself to walk forward, eventually pushing through the diner doors before I turned to look at her in her booth.

Memory is a delicate thing.

Simon's words echoed in my head as my eyes settled on her. She looked perfectly flawless but I was worried about how much she remembered, or how little.

As I got only a few feet from her booth she looked up at me, everything that I was going to say to her flew out of my mind as her eyes connected with mine.

Her eyes were so innocent, like she had never done an evil thing in her life. She was dressed in a simple white sundress. Not the attire of an assassin trying to conceal weapons.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" She finally asked when I never said anything. I just stood there, blubbering like a fish. Her voice sent warm chills down my spine.

'Say something.' My wolf pushed. 'Anything.'

"No, but.." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Dawn only looked up at me, confused. "My name is Will." I held my hand out for her to shake. She hesitated.

"Hi.. I'm Dawn." Her sweet smile met my eyes and she shook my hand, her warm skin sending sparks up my arm. By her surprised expression, I knew she felt it.

Sparks meant our mate bond survived. My wolf did somersaults in my mind and my heart soared.

There was still a chance.

"It's so nice to meet you, Dawn."