Ghosts *COMPLETED*

Chapter One

ROSE

I woke up the next morning to find myself alone in bed, Alex must have already gotten up without disturbing me. I wasn't normally a morning person and he did his best to not wake me up until what I considered a reasonable hour. The clock on my bedside table said it was 10am which was early for me. But after last night I couldn't fall asleep easily, especially with my fake dad/kidnapper sleeping next to me.

Creeping out of my bedroom I go downstairs making sure to avoid the creaky floorboard. I thought the house was pretty quiet until I neared the kitchen and heard multiple voices. One belonged to Alex, the other to Jack and the other two belonged to Uncle Zack and Rian. But now I didn't feel like they were really my family anymore.

"Rose woke up last night, she had a nightmare but I didn't push her."

I stand behind the slightly open door able to make out Alex leaning against the counter holding a mug of what I assumed was tea. Jack stands opposite him and shakes his head.

"Everyone has nightmares Alex. Besides this thing always happens when I change the dosage, it takes a couple of days for her body to adjust."

"Of course, it's the drugs you pump into her every minute of the day Jack, or 'medicine' as you call it. I'd go crazy after ten years of being drugged."

I didn't want to believe what Rian was saying, but he wasn't one to sugarcoat or lie. If he said Jack had been drugging me for ten years then I was inclined to believe him. If I so much as sneezed Jack was quick to force something into me.

Jack laughs, "I'm not the cause Rian. Stop taking Alex's side."

"You've been drugging her since we kidnapped her from that park; you take away her old memories and make her sick so she can never go outside and be recognised. Side effects were bound to happen Jack; we all knew the risk when we agreed."

Although Zack kept his voice low I still heard his confession. My dream was real; I was kidnapped from a park in San Diego when I was six by these four. I was the missing girl on the news; my birth family was still looking for me after all these years.

"Alex, why don't we just introduce her to the hunter life already? Have her on our side against the supernatural. She knows how to defend herself, fight and can use a variety of weapons."

What the hell was Rian talking about now? Hunters and supernatural creatures, it sounded like the TV show Supernatural I was obsessed with. But that was just a show, a made-up show with made-up characters and monsters.

"No Rian, it will make her curious about supernatural creatures. She's obsessed with that damn show about those two brothers who are hunters. Besides, she'll discover that the birthmark on her wrist entitles her to a life on the supernatural side." Alex sighs and shakes his head.

"We took her away from that Liam kid before they both grew up and Liam became a werewolf who would bite her and then make her his werewolf mate. Plus all her memories of Liam have been wiped; she wouldn't even know how close they once were if she ever saw him again and that would hit him and his pack hard."

Now Jack was bringing up werewolves, and the kid from my dreams Liam was a werewolf who was going to bite and mate with me. Then I remembered a part of the dream where I told Alex that Liam's parents said we were going to be together when we grew up. Did everyone around me know the supernatural world existed?

"You're going soft Alex," Zack mocks Alex from across the kitchen and through the crack in the door I see anger flash across Alex's face.

"I've raised her for ten years, she's my daughter and I'll decide what's best for her."

Not wanting to get caught eavesdropping I turn on my heel and run back upstairs keeping as quiet as possible. So many questions ran through my head to the extent that I felt a headache coming on. This was a lot to take in, and I needed to write it down before Jack gave me more drugs.

I scribble down 'drugs, supernatural creatures, hunters, werewolves, birthmark and Liam and shove my diary back in its hiding spot just as someone knocks on my bedroom door. I jump back into bed and try to make it look like I'd just woken up as Rian pushed open the door smiling at me.

"You're up Rose, before midday now that's a first. Alex is making pancakes and I thought you'd like some before Jack and Zack eat them all."

How could Rian stand here and play the nice card after what I'd just heard him say in the kitchen? Damn these four had pulled the wool over my eyes good these last ten years. I still needed to keep the naive act up until I had some time alone to collect myself.

"I'll have pancakes uncle Rian if you'll carry me downstairs."

Rian shakes his head and laughs before walking towards the bed with open arms. If I wasn't finding out the truth about my so called 'family' then asking Rian to carry me would have been innocent, but like when Alex slept next to me last night when Rian picked me up bridal style I felt like I was looking at a stranger.

Once in the kitchen, Rian puts me on the stool in between Jack and Zack who were already digging into a plate of pancakes each. They grunted a good morning, but I couldn't make it out in between them stuffing their faces.

"You were right Rian they are pigs."

"Good morning sweetie, I made you your own plate."

Alex smiles and leans over the counter to put a plate of pancakes in front of me covered in syrup just the way I liked them.

"Thanks, dad. What are the plans today?"

I dig into my pancakes as Alex drinks more tea watching me carefully; he always treated me like I was so fragile.

"How about a movie day? You can pick the films."

I shrug my shoulders then turn to face Jack before nudging him in the side to grab his attention. Jack looks at me and I smile.

"Sure dad, as long as we can watch Home Alone."

Jack's eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning and he starts to jump up and down in his seat while across the counter Alex groans.

"You may have raised her Alex, but she got her good taste in movies from her uncle Jack."

Jack pulls me into a side hug and I can't help but laugh at his silly antics. Rian and Zack roll their eyes, this was a normal occurrence in this house.