The Vampire’s Hybrid / Book Four ✔️

“Are you ready?”

Gene’s question was spoken towards nobody in particular as they stood and eyed the island coming into view. The last week had flown by so fast that it didn’t feel like two weeks’ worth of travelling at all. She was partly thankful that she had nine-day periods but from the looks of things, her heat was going to come on today when she didn’t want it to.

Which is typical. Things never went the way she planned and her body’s timing was no exception.

“Yes and no,” Cole answered as he rubbed Gene’s arm. Gene was currently tucked under Cole’s arm, his head on Cole’s chest. They looked sweet and comfortable and after so long, she was happy to see them like this together so openly. “I keep thinking about our fresh start, that is what is keeping me going.”

“Me too,” Gene mumbled as he snuggled closer into his mate’s chest.

Ava looked away from them and back towards the island. During the two weeks that they had been travelling, she had one question on her mind that nobody could answer. Why did her Alpha keep going? She jumped the ship, she was no longer on it for him to use so why did he keep going? Did he know that she was behind him? Did he know that they followed and he has come up with a new plan? And if that was the case, what was he planning?

Each question she had turned into multiple others until she found herself groaning and wishing that she could sleep this all away and wake up to it being over.

“What about you, kiddo?”

She jumped and turned her attention away from the island. “What?”

“I was asking how you feel about being here,” Cole repeated with a slight frown on his face. “Are you okay? You’re looking a little pale.”

She nodded. Ava didn’t know whether she should lie or not but they would see right through it once her body started to go into heat. She had gone through many when she met Shane and although it had been four years since her last heat, she wasn’t looking forward to having another one and her brothers knew this. “I think I’ll go and lie down.” She then hesitated before she said the next part. “Can…Can I stay in your room for today…and can you guys tell Lucas not to come into the room…”

Their eyes slightly widened before Gene nodded in understanding. “Of course. If he doesn’t know about it, we’ll tell him.”

“Thank you.” She mumbled before she turned and left them to it. Lucas was all over the place getting his crew ready for the potential attack if there ended up being one but she doubted it. Her had very few warriors on his ship and the fact that he left the pack unsupervised proved that his ego was way too high for his own good. If he thinks that he can just walk into the kingdom and demand to have it, he has another thing coming.

Gene and Cole’s room was tidier than she expected when she walked into the room and closed the door. Their bed was made and there was no obvious boy smell like they had back in her childhood home, which she was thankful for because the smells that they admit sometimes would make her gag and wish that they would at least place some candles down to make the room smell better.

Ava threw herself onto the bed and held her hands against her abdomen. She wanted so desperately to be out there but the longer she stood, the worse these cramps were getting and soon she’d need to fight off the urge to scream then the blinding pain struck. Ava closed her eyes and tried to breathe through the oncoming pain. She was already sweating and felt sticky but she had to ignore that and try to breathe through the next twenty-four hours hoping that her Alpha wouldn’t win and that nobody would come into the room.

She spent the next hour gritting her teeth and gripping the sheets. Her heart felt like it was on fire and she could feel every organ inside of her body but she stayed silent and tried to listen to what was going on outside. They had stopped thirty minutes ago, the ship had stopped rocking and the swaying had seized into slight movements from the shallow waves.

It was early quiet, too quiet and she wondered what was going on but from where she was, the window only looked out towards the water, not towards the island which was an annoying inconvenience. But she listened anyway, using what she could in her state as she pressed her ear against the door and groaned. The cold timber soothed her slightly but it wasn’t enough.

Another hour passed, then another as she was now naked in the bath. Her body shook with pain and her tears had tried on her face. It hurt to cry, it hurt to move, it hurt to blink and just as she thought that she couldn’t take anymore, another shot of pain shot through her body in a long, torturous wave.

“Ava!”

She jumped, her tired eyes turning towards the closed door as she groaned and placed her cheek on her knees. “Don’t come…. Don’t come in.”

She heard a groan before Lucas’s voice came through to her again. “Gene told me what is happening… I should have realised. I knew you guys went through this but I didn’t….” He paused for a moment as she noticed the shadow of his feet under the door. “We caught him… he didn’t expect that we had prepared and now August, Nymeria, and Zack are interrogating him. Abby and Raph killed his men and uh… Mack is here if you want someone to give you some comfort. I want to but…”

She felt her eyes water again as she held in her sob. He didn’t need to tell her any of this but he chose to. He chose to keep her informed while she was in this state and as she went to thank him, she found that her voice had locked in her throat and she had to use their mind link. ‘Thank you for understanding.’

There was silence for a moment before she heard him. ‘I will be right here, whatever you need from me, I will do. I love you my strong, beautiful girl.’

Ava hiccuped, a small smile forming on her face as she closed her eyes. ‘I love you too, Luky.’

“Ava, do you want me to come in?” A female voice asked through the door. Ava hesitated for a moment knowing who she was and found herself smiling again as she found her voice to speak.

“Yes, please.” She whispered and groaned. Her voice was so harsh that she didn’t think that Mack had heard her until the door opened and a smiling face came through.

Mackenzie’s dark brown eyes surprised her as Ava was expecting someone like Abby to come through the door. Mack wasn’t small either and her thick black hair that was currently braided highlighted her beauty. Despite her size, she was gorgeous and Ava suddenly felt insecure about her own body and looks.

“Oh, look at you, you sweet little thing.” Mack coed as she came over and grabbed one of the clean cloths on the shelf before she dipped it into the water and then placed it on her forehead and cheeks. “My son recently got over a small fever. I think he got it from his uncle but I won’t say anything about that.” She laughed as she tucked a few strains of hair behind Ava’s head. “Anyway, Kendrix was all sweaty and crying, I couldn’t calm him down and you want to know what Zack did?”

“What did he do?” Ava asked as she closed her eyes and took in the mothering feel of Mack’s voice and touch.

“He started to sing.” She laughed. “That boy sounds like a dying whale but it worked. Kendrix stopped crying, Zack begged me not to tell anyone and Figus had come running into the room with his weapons drawn, asking who was trying to hurt me and Kendrix.”

Ava snorted a laugh before she groaned and clutched her stomach harder. “I have a lot of people to meet, don’t I?”

Mack nodded. “Don’t worry about that. You are already family in our eyes and I saw the way Luke was looking at the door and talking to you. That boy is so in love with you and I can see why. Between your brother and his mate and now Lucas, you are one lucky girl.”

She felt her heart swell with pride at her words before she removed her hands from her stomach. “Can you help me get dressed, I don’t want to sleep in here and drawn.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” Mack smiled as she took Ava’s hands and helped her stand. “I’ll do anything for the girl who helped my sister and taught my favourite brother-in-law what love is.”