Forget Me Not (Book 3 of Acceptance Series)

Chapter 9

Addama turned around and started to run in the opposite direction of the pack. She did not look back, knowing that I was following her. She moved quickly and with purpose, and I was a little surprised at this woman's strength and speed.

I ran after her, making sure to keep her in my sight. I had no idea where we were headed, but I trusted her to not lead me astray.

She was a friend of my mom, and from what I was told, she had been a friend to my grandmother as well. She had a strong bond with them, something that they had kept hidden from me for whatever reason.

Addama stopped at the cove that my parents had spent a lot of their time away from the pack and shifted into her human form. She was dressed in her normal garb, and I couldn't help but wonder how she was able to keep her clothes on while ours tore when we shifted. She turned to look at me, her face grim. She looked concerned as if she knew what was happening to me. "Thomas Junior," she said, nodding in greeting. "It is so nice to see you, again."

"Addama," I said, nodding in greeting. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet as I licked my lips. I had no idea why she wanted to see me, but I prayed that she had information that could help me. "You as well, though I had seen you this morning."

She smiled and nodded her head before her face became grim. "I am sure that you have questions for me." It was a statement, not a question. "Just know that I can't answer everything at once. You'll have to find some information out for yourself or ask someone else that could say it."

I bit back a scowl but nodded. "I know," I said, my voice cold. I cleared my throat and moved a hand through my hair. "Why couldn't I speak?" I asked, knowing that she had seen the interaction between me and Hans. "It felt as if..." I furrowed my brows, not able to form how it felt in words.

Addama sighed and moved a hand across her face. She looked tired, older than she had been as if this whole thing has caused her to age quicker than normal. "I don't know," she said, knowing what I was thinking. She pulled something out of her pocket and held it out. "Hand," she instructed.

I did what I was told to and held out my hand. I felt her put something in it and rubbed it around my hands. I had a feeling I knew what it was, but I had no idea how anyone would have done something to me with a lot of people standing there.

"Show me," she said, and I opened my hand and showed her my palm. She narrowed her eyes and scowled. "Interesting," she muttered, walking over to me. She held out her hand, and I placed my hand in hers with my palm up.

"What th-?" I asked, furrowing my brows. I noticed that my palm was still the same color. There was no indication that I had been under some sort of spell.

"You might have been underneath a spell," Addama said, knowing what I was thinking. "But, it might not have been something with Dark Magic."

"Could there have been something that made it so Dark Magic couldn't be traced?" I asked, furrowing my brows. "I mean, I have no idea what it means, but it did unnerve me that I couldn't talk to my mate."

"Perhaps," Addama said. "I will need to talk to Aenes about that." She paused and studied me. "For now, try to get your mate to trust you. Make sure to have one of your family members with you at all times. If this happens again..."

"... then I can use them as a voice," I finished, and she nodded. "What about other pack members?" I asked, and she shrugged and grimaced.

"The familial bond is stronger than a pack bond," she said. "Yes, the pack is like a family, but you do not share the same blood as you do with family."

I nodded, understanding what she meant. The family bond was stronger than a pack bond because the bond is already formed when we are born. "I will make sure that I have someone with us," I promised.

Addama nodded, relief filling her eyes. She looked happy that I would have a family member with us at all times. It was if she wanted another set of eyes to make sure that I was alive and that nothing bad happened to us. "And I will find out what has happened. I will be in contact." And with that, she bowed her head and left, shifting into her wolf form and disappearing in the night.

I shook my head and sighed, moving a hand through my hair. "Goddess," I whispered. "Protect me, and please protect my mate from whatever evil that wants her."