Chapter 48

The trees blurred by the window of the car quickly as we drove away from Alek’s settlement. His words were circling in my mind most of the drive home. When you’re ready for the truth-you know where to find me.

His words had torn me apart. Did I want to know the truth? I mean, of course, I did. But what would it really change anything?

It'd give me peace of mind. I'd always wanted to know what happened. The flashes I had didn't add up with what was on their death certificates, but I'd always been told it was my imagination. That I was so young, I wouldn't remember.

"Want to talk about it, princess?" Rune asked, taking my hand.

"I don't know," I mumbled without looking at him.

"We're pretty good listeners, and five brains are better than one." He nudged me and I couldn't help the grin that grew on my face after that.

I sighed and leaned into him. Rune was always able to make me smile, that was part of his charm. He squeezed my hand and kissed the side of my head.

"So what are you thinking about?" He prodded.

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"That's rude, little one." Frode scolded from the front seat.

I resisted the urge to roll them again.

"I think I want to know about them. I just don't trust Alek." I muttered, my gaze returning to the window.

"That's fair." Sten said from beside Rune.

"Something is up with Alek, he was different this visit. I can't tell you how or why, but this wasn't the Alek we knew growing up." Frode muttered as he turned on the road that would lead us into the territory.

"Let me talk with Dad. Alek's family hasn't been with us long. His parents moved into the territory while his mother was pregnant with him. Our parents were close. Maybe they know about your parents. Alek's parents were quiet about where they came from, but they were good people. Maybe they said something that will lead us to information." Sten smiled past Rune at me.

I nodded. That plan was better than listening to Alek and trying to sort out what was true and what wasn't. If needed we could listen to see if he confirmed anything we found, but that would be a topic to be discussed later.

The closer we got to the territory, I began to realize how tired I was. I leaned back into Rune's side and enjoyed the warmth of his body against mine. My eyes started to drift shut as I relaxed into my mate.

Footsteps sounded in my ears I sat up in the car. My eyes snapped open and I looked around. Frode was still driving but we were in the territory. Otherwise, it seemed like it had when I closed my eyes.

"Did I sleep?" I blurted.

"Yep." Rune bumped me with his shoulder.

He didn't bump me hard, but my cheek still bumped against the cold window. The coldness must have triggered something. Suddenly I was seeing a vision.

Footsteps echoed throughout the quiet woods. I was walking up to our cabin, my footsteps the only ones that could be heard. Otherwise, the woods around me were silent.

My reflection in the window showed I was a man. The person was fit and athletic, but I couldn't see his face or any details that told me who he was. My stomach sank as I realized I wouldn't be able to see who I was in.

Disgust rolled through the man's body as I took in the clearing where the cabin was located. Envy filled me. Why did the wolves get this when I stayed in a dingy, neglected, one-bedroom apartment?

I could hear this mans thoughts. I tried to push to see if I could learn anything else about him, but it didn't work. Whoever this man was, he hated us. That was one of the one things I clearly understood.

The man knelt and pulled something from a bag that was strapped across his chest. A bouquet of flowers. The flowers made the man happy, but I couldn't understand why. I didn't recognize them.

I studied the dark purple, kidney-shaped flowers. They were pretty, but something inside me want to move as far away from them as I could. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the kidney-shaped blossom had an opening at the bottom. It was like a little hat, or upside bell.

The man set the flowers on the front doorstep and chuckled. He was pleased with himself. He was excited for us to find these flowers. After placing the flowers down he withdrew his hand. But not before I caught a glimpse of black ink on the back of his hand.

A snake wrapped around a crescent-shaped moon.

Then I was back in the car with my mates. Frode continued to drive, but the other three were staring at me. Waiting to hear what I had seen.

"Someone was at the cabin." I didn't miss the shaking in my voice.

Frode increased his speed, but we were almost home anyway.

"Stay in the car with Astrid," Frode instructed Erik, who nodded.

The other three jumped out of the car and approached the house with caution. My gaze left them and zeroed in on the front steps. There were flowers.

"Monkshood." Erik scoffed when he followed my gaze and saw what I staring at.

"I saw the man place them there. He was angry at us, hated us. But I couldn't see his face. He had a tattoo with a snake wrapped around a crescent moon." I murmured, leaning on the middle console.

"Never seen that tattoo before." Erik sighed.

Of course, I'd only get details that didn't help find him. My gaze went back to the flowers. Monkshood. That was familiar, but I couldn't place the name.

"What's monkshood?" I asked Erik.

"Better known as wolfsbane. Remember the bombs, that made it seem like all the air was being sucked from the room at your apartment when we first met you?" He turned to look at me.

I nodded.

"That was a gas bomb of wolfsbane. It doesn't bother humans in low doses if touched. If a human ingests it, or gets it in a wound it can poisonous to them. Supernaturals are very sensitive to it. As you noticed. Hunters use it to weaken us, make us easier to capture and torture. As shifters we can't shift, and we heal slower, besides loosing strength. We'll have to wear thick gloves, or use a shovel to get it off the porch." Erik explained.

Frode walked back over to the SUV while Rune grabbed a shovel from the shed. Sten jogged up the stairs of the steps, careful to avoid the monkshood, and went inside.

"There's no scent from whoever dropped the gift. Let Rune take care of it and come inside. The cabin is empty and safe. Sten is calling our parents to let them know about our visitor." Frode explained while running he eyes over me, like he was checking for injuries.

Frode went inside, while Erik and I watched Rune shovel the flowers into the woods. Then we went inside the cabin. It was nice to be home, but I had an feeling this wouldn't be the last we heard of the hunters. My biggest fear at the moment was if the vision of my mates being taken would come true.