My Hunted Mate

Corinna

The moment that the car pulls up in front of the familiar house, my heart aches and tears cloud in my eyes, as I unbuckle my seat belt, I do my best to pull myself together. Kai remains quiet as he shuts off the engine, we both sit, unmoving, in silence for a couple of minutes until finally I push open the handle on the door and exit the car.

Just as my shaky legs reach the front of the house, the door swings open revealing a tall, bulky pale man with long dirty blonde hair, matching the colour of his overgrown beard covering his jaw, the man's glowing red eyes narrow as they fall on me.

"Who are you? " His voice is strong, gruff and extremely intimidating as he speaks.

"1. My name is Corinna, I was a friend of Helena's. " I tell him, watching as his eyes flick to my mate who remains a few steps away from us. And this is my mate, Malakai. "

* Corinna? The hybrid? " The man questions, his hard features softening slightly when I nod my head. " Helena spoke of you, come in."

He steps out of the way, swinging the door open wider as he does so. I turn to look at Kai, who immediately wanders up to me, when he's at my side, I walk past the threshold of the house, finding my way to the living room with ease.

My eyes instantly find the small white haired child, holding onto the edge of the sofa, as she uses it for support as she walks along the length of it, blabbing to herself as she picks up a small purple dragon plushie. Her ruby eyes snap up to meet mine, a small smile making it's way onto her face.

As if she remembers me, she abandons her toy and waddles her way over to me, holding her arms out. " Up! " she calls, her small body lifting in an attempt to jump, only for her to land on the floor on her bottom.

Leaning down, I scoop her up into my arms, settling her on my right hip. Turning to find Kai and the man already in the room, watching me. "1 assume you're Helena's mate? " I ask the red eyed man.

" Yes, My name is Atticus. " He responds, pausing for a moment to glance down Dyna. " Do you know where she is? *

My eyebrows furrow together in confusion. " Who? " I ask.

" Helena. " He shakes his head, as if it's obvious.

I feel my face completely drop. " You don't know? *

" Where she is? No, of course not, otherwise I wouldn't be asking you. " He says, clearly becoming irritated

* Dada! " Dyna shouts from my arms, Atticus’ irritation fades as he looks down at his daughter, who is holding her arms out toward him.

He immediately stalks across the room, taking her from me. In the large man’s arms, she looks even smaller than she is. My eyes find Kai, who is standing in the door way watching the scene unfold in front of him, he sends me a short nod.

"Why don't I take your daughter outside while you talk? " He suggests to Atticus, who glances between us suspiciously.

" No, you'll stay here with her. We'll go outside. " He states, nodding toward me.

Kai nods, moving across the room to take a seat on the sofa. Atticus gently places Dyna onto her feet, taking a moment to watch her wander over to the sofa, grabbing her toy again and holding it out to Kai and roaring.

Atticus leads the way as we both walk outside to the front of the house, he shuts the door softly behind me, then waits patiently for me to tell him what I know about his mate.

The birds chirp loudly and the cold breeze rustles the trees around us as we walk further away from the house, I find myself struggling to find the right words. " I um.. Well what do you know? "

" Not much. Helena understands that I need to shift regularly, we have a schedule so I take time away in my dragon form, I was coming back and when I got here, she was gone, Dyna was asleep in her crib. It's not like her to leave Dyna alone, but i figured she knew I was coming and that was why, but then days passed without hearing from her, so I started searching. " He explains, shoving his hands into the pockets of his denim jeans as we walk.

Swallowing hard, I begin to imagine Helena patiently waiting for her mate to return, only to be ripped away from him and her sleeping child, these thoughts cause me to stop in my tracks.

Atticus also comes to a stop, turning to look at me. I stare down at the moss and dirt beneath our feet, trying to ignore the anxiety that slowly rises within me. Eventually I lift my head, my gaze focusing on my friend's mate, who seems to be getting irritated by my silence.

Tears being pooling in my eyes once again, but this time I can't gather myself, instead they rush down my face. * Uh well.Helena is.. She's. "

" No.. No she's not, she can't be. " Atticus shakes his head, taking in my expression.

" She.. She was killed. * I mumble.

" No, she's not dead, she's not! She can't be! How can you be sure? * His words are denying what I'm telling him, but the look in his eyes reads that his awful suspicions are being confirmed right in this moment.

"It happened in front of me. " I whisper, clenching my jaw as a flash of Helena's face draining of life enters my mind, I try to shrug it off, but a flash of her body laying on the ground with lifeless eyes comes straight after.

When I come back to reality, Atticus’ breathing is coming out in sharp furious pants, his red eyes begin to glow with fire as he struggles to come down from his overwhelming emotions.

"Who. " He growls, making me take a couple of steps backwards and away from him.

" My old pack, they, they killed her to make a point. " I confess to him, this only seems to set him off further.

My feet automatically begin to stumble backwards as a series of deep growls erupt from Atticus’ chest, small embers of flame float into the air with each pant of breath, until finally a huge burst of flames covers where Atticus once stood.

Dropping to my knees, my eyes shut tightly on instinct. I hold my arms up in front of my face, automatically chants fall from my lips, as I straighten out my fists a flow of energy forms a bubble around me, just as the flames extend toward me.