My Hunted Mate

Corinna

Jerking up into a sitting position, my breathing comes out in quick and short pants as my eyes dart around. My body shakes hysterically as I find Phoenix, Dahlia, Atticus and Lila's eyes all on me. The memory of bringing Kai back flashes into my mind, along with him feeding from me, which only increases the panic and fear that overwhelms me.

" Where is he? Where's Kai? And Elias, is my baby safe? " I croak. " How am I alive? "

" Elias is perfectly safe, Lila is looking after him in the nursery. And I, uh, well you're not. * Phoenix sighs. " you ingested Mal's blood earlier on today, so when he.."

" He's locked up in the basement. " Dahlia informs with guilt shining in her eyes, that refuse to meet mine.

" He... He fed on me, he killed me.. " I gasp out in shock, earning pained and sympathetic looks

" It seems you were correct about the possibility of him going a bit mad. " Phoenix mumbles.

* Oh god, Cori. I'm so sorry, I- I shouldn't have.. * Dahlia trails off for a moment. " I just wanted him back and I let my judgement get clouded. I'm truly sorry. *

"1 understand. " I whisper, tears begin to prick my eyes. " I wanted him back too Dahlia, I just didn't want something like this to happen. "

The three of us fall into an awkward silence, none of us knowing what to say until I speak up again. " I need to see him. "

"I'm not sure if that's a great idea, he's not.. Himself. " Phoenix cringes through his words.

"1 need to see him. " I say again, my tone stronger and more demanding than before.

Phoenix opens his mouth to argue with me once more, but Dahlia reaches out placing her hand on his arm, causing him to shut his lips together tightly, sending her an angry glare.

Pushing myself out of bed and to my feet, I glance at the two siblings waiting for them to lead the way. Dahlia hesitates for a moment, then begins to walk out of the room, my feet pad softly on the carpet as I follow her.

We remain quiet while wandering to the lowest level of the house where Kai is being held. My stomach twists and churns with anxiety, the feeling only grows as we get closer to the basement, my heart pounding in my chest.

We stop in front of the same room Josephine was locked in not that long ago, making me cringe at the memories that flood my mind. Dahlia slowly pushes open the door, moving aside allowing me to walk inside the dark room first, she switches on the light and steps into the room too, the heavy metal door slams shut behind us.

My gaze falls into my mate who is chained to a chair in the exact same way olive and Josephine had been, blood pooling on the plastic covering a large square cement floor where the chair is placed.

His head in slumped down but when I call his name, it snaps up to reveal endless black orbs where his stunning blue eyes normally are. His fangs are still extending and the veins under his eyes prickle down his face as he watches us intently.

The brief thought that he seems like he has gone completely feral crosses my mind, but that thought only gets confirmed when my foot barely moves a step toward him before he tries to lunge from the chair to attack me, only the chains hold him down. I instinctually jump back, getting myself as far away from him as possible in the small room.

" He can't escape, he's too weak. " Dahlia assures me.

Nodding toward her, I take a moment before slowly edging my way over to my mate, who continues to watch me with his pitch black eyes. My hands shake as I bring them up to his head, the moment I place my hands on him, a shiver of negative energy rushes through me, making me pull away automatically.

I lightly rub my thumbs back and forth along my index fingers in an attempt to soothe myself, as I desperately to get a grip on my breathing that begins to speed up due to the heavy feeling weighing on my chest.

Swallowing harshly, I move around the chair so I am standing behind Kai facing his back. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Dahlia watching me curiously. I reach out, placing my hands across Kai's temples.

"I'm going to try to help him." I whisper to Dahlia, who straightens up at my words.

"You can fix him? " She questions.

"1 don't know, but after everything I have to try. " I mumble, guilt flashes through her eyes once more at my words, she takes a step back, leaning against the wall with her gaze fixed on the floor.

Taking a breath, I close my eyes and begin to whisper a chant. Kai's body tenses under my touch and he begins to shout profanities, demanding that I get away from him, but I force myself to ignore his words and continue.

I quickly discover that Kai's angry state only gets worse the more I go on and turns bloodthirsty as he begins throwing out horrifying threats of how he will kill both myself and Dahlia, who has started quietly sobbing in the corner at the scene of her brother fighting to get at her and follow through with his nasty threats.

Kai struggles against his restrains more aggressively than before as my voice gets louder, his roars get louder to the point of that his wished violent acts are drowning out my words, and the louder he gets, the harder it gets to ignore him, my focus starts to deteriorate and my heart aches in my chest.

Tears pour from my eyes as I remove my hands from him, moving away from him and exiting the room without another glance in his direction. Dahlia runs out of the room after me, slamming the heavy door and locking it quickly.

We both stand in the dim fluorescent lighting of the hallway together, neither one of us knowing what to say we stare at the door we just came out of until finally Dahlia decides to speak and break the deafening quiet.

" He's not there anymore is he? " She mumbles.

" No. " I whisper.

" There's nothing that can be done? " She asks, but her tone doesn't make it sound like a question, making me realise she knows the answer already but I reply anyway.

"No, I don't believe there is. " I croak out, my voice wavering as I speak. "I'm so sorry Corinna. " Dahlia whispers.

Clearing my throat, I straighten my body then I turn and walk away, leaving her standing alone, too emotionally overwhelmed and drained to interact with anyone.