Mate Mysteries

Chapter 6

If you're a black author, share with me your books, so I can add them to the 'support black authors/characters' reading list. If you know of other black authors, share with me their books, so I can add them too.

If you're not a black author, check out the reading list said above, it's on my profile. Show your support. Now is not the time to be silent.

- Sian

Pip turned his head sharply to face Krey. "That's... is your dad talking about mine and Mark's parents?"

Krey turned back to the page that said the date. "It must be. Four campers, that's your parents and Marks parents." Krey wasn't the only one with a thumping heart. He continued reading, flicking from page to page, but it was clear some had been ripped out. "The rest of the entire month is gone." Krey wobbled the book. No more pages fell out.

"My parents can't have been werewolf hunters. I remember my dad venting about the poor dog my aunt and uncle used to have because they didn't look after it. My parents loved animals. My mum used to show me pictures of her childhood cat called Beryl. There's no way... they just wouldn't do that."

"Maybe Mark's parents were hunters and your parents were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Shithead Mark is more likely to come from a hunter family than you." Krey could see the distress building behind Pip's eyes. "Don't panic, I'm going to find out what the fuck happened that night."

Pip nodded and closed his eyes, focusing on Krey rubbing his chest to calm him. "That must be it. They wouldn't do that." Pip rested against Krey again, breathing steadily until their hearts beat as one.

"That was the last thing I expected," Krey said, staring at the journal like it had burned him.

"Me too. I didn't think werewolf hunters existed."

"They do, but there's not many of them. The government tracks them as a part of the peace treaty we signed, and hunters can get up to life in prison if they're caught because for obvious reasons; we're part human too. We help them and they help us, so we both get on with our lives most of the time."

Pip started to fidget. "You don't think my parents were hunters, do you?"

"No. I refuse to believe it unless we have hard evidence." Krey frowned. "Let's keep this between us, okay? I don't want the pack finding out."

Pip nodded, though he had started to worry about what the pack would think of him if they did find out.

"Pip." Krey turned his face towards him, so he could look him in the eye and say, "It sounds like my pack had something to do with their death. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Pip whispered. The thought was still very unnerving. Pip was too exhausted to point fingers. He wasn't going to blame the person who was also a young boy when his parents died.

"Not directly." Krey puffed out a frustrated breath. "We should question my mum. She might know something."

"She might not, otherwise she would've said something when you first found out about my parents."

"Maybe," Krey muttered. "Hopefully."

They spent the rest of the day together, too shocked to speak much about their recent discovery. By evening, Krey hadn't found the chance to talk to his mother. He had spent every moment with Pip, worried that his mate would lose composure if he was left on his own.

"Mum will be going to bed now. Shall we question her?" Krey asked. Pip was staring blankly at the TV. Krey knew he hadn't watched the films he put on. Pip barely listened to him when he spoke. His mind was elsewhere.