Summer's Eve

Chapter Five

My feelings had been jumbled over the course of two weeks. Me as Alpha? It was something clearly to celebrate as there had never been a female alpha in the entire line of our family history. This had to be a turning point for me as I needed to come up with the right way and the right time to tell Hunter the truth about everything, about me. "Summer?" "Go away." Derek opens my door anyway and sits down next to me. "You can't stay in here forever. Hunter will know you've gone solitude." "I've been texting with him you dummy." "Does he think you're sick?" "Would you not please? I know how great things are going for you and Katherine, there's no need to rub it in." "Ok, I'm sorry. I just want you to know I'm here for you." "God, I know that you are, but I need time alone. I still need to understand all of this." "Alright. Ever you need a higher consult, seek out Lucian. Kat can help you with that in case you forgot."                                       I text Katherine and she replies happily with a yes. I get dressed and head on over to play my part in her need of me to contact him. 

Glad that it wasn't a lost cause, Lucian had given me his word on everything and I had full understanding of it now. He even gave me a piece of advice about Hunter. He recommended the same thing he'd done when he chose his mate way back when. I didn't just consider it, I pondered on it for a while before making my final decision and that was it. But It took him sooner than me to reveal this secret to my mate. So once again, this was about timing. I decided completely to wait until the next full moon.                                                                                                     "Has anyone else seen this yet?" I look up at Derek who is going over the morning paper and I look over his shoulder to see it. WILD DOGS IN RAVEN ROCK HOLLOW? and beneath it was a blurred image of what looked like a dog to the general public. "Yes, Chris and I are taking care of it." "How? If that's an omega it will kill you dad and you know it." "I'm still strong sweetheart, Chris and I will take care of it." 

I wait for dark and shift to go out for a run. It seemed too much time had gone by since I last shifted and it felt good to run on all fours again. However I was also on a mission.  I ran further out to sniff out if there was an omega here. The woods smelled as normal as it did, lavender grew everywhere and the trees thrived still, surviving the heat of June without much water. Suddenly I was jumped. Growling back and pinning my familiar to the ground, I forced my shift with my hand around the beasts neck. Then whoever it was shifted back as well. "Why are you after me?" I push the omega against a tree and keep my hold firm. "I thought you were after me, I've been surviving since my pack was slaughtered." "Slaughtered?" "Yes, I've traveled quite a ways, I'm from the Blackstone pack." "What is your name?" "Serana, and I have no one left. I was hoping another pack would take me in." "How long have you been here?" "Not long enough to get caught on the newspaper." I had taken in a horrible realization that it wasn't about an omega. "There's a rogue out here." "Yes, I need shelter before it kills me too." "The rogue killed your family. Come, now." I let go of her and she hurried to shift as I did and ran back. 

Serana was on my heel as we made it back and shifted. "Emily!" "Yes miss, oh." "Please make up a meal for Serana and find her some clothes." "Of course, come this way." Emily shoulder the girl, who looked to be at least eighteen. I stepped into my room and dressed before heading back downstairs. My father was already sitting with Serana and having a conversation with her. "Summer what the hell were you thinking?" I raise my eyebrows at him. He stares back and I retract. "I'm sure Serana told you everything." "She did. Still you were very stupid tonight." "I don't care." "You don't seem to care about a lot lately." 

The park was nice this sunny afternoon. Hunter had packed a lunch and even brought a blanket for us to sit down with and enjoy. "How did I get to be such a lucky woman?" "Call it luck of the Irish." "Really now? Don't tell me you're a leprechaun." "Just a little bit, I'm about a third Irish though." "That's interesting, I don't think I've ever known anyone Irish." "Well now you do. Feel like a twitter moment?" Hunter snaps a too quick selfie of us and posts it with a hashtag. He writes Irish in love. I can't help but laugh at him. The moment now seems too perfect and so I jump up on my feet, running to hide around a tree. "Summer!" "Come find me." "Game on." He goes quiet but I can still hear him. Playing still, I shuffle a few trees away as he looks around the one I'd just been at. "Marco?" "Polo!" And then I move again. I stumble over upturned roots and fall to the soft earth. I let out a laugh and then cover my mouth in surprise. "I heard that!" "No you didn't!" I go around in a bit of a circle and then reach our picnic again. I decide here is where it will happen. I shift quickly and sit down to rest, letting my tongue hang out as Hunter appears. He stops for a moment and then looks around before looking at me again.                                               "Summer, hey are there wild dogs here?" I raise my face, bringing my nose up to show that in this form I have no intention of harming him. Hunter holds out his hand to touch my nose, and I press my face into his palm. This was it...