#Chapter 72: The Eye Within the Storm

(Ava’s POV)
“YOU WON! AVA YOU WON THE AWARD!”
Everything seemed like a fantasy. A dream that I had hoped for since I was a little girl.
“I cannot believe that I am holding this…every endeavor that I have pushed to be apart of. I would …”
That slowly turned into a nightmare that I could not escape from.
Ava what is the matter? What is going on?
“Freak.”
“Monster.”
Everything seemed to replay in my mind like a horrible series of a television show and I could not turn it off. Because it was my life.
Where did it all go so wrong? How did we come so far to be under fire by my mistake?
This thought and others kept circulating in my head. Tide, my wolf, was resting after running to escape the mayhem. She finally was able to shift in the human world-not that she was happy about the exposure or the wounds our mate suffered due to us.
Even after I transformed back into a human I was still shot at, however Elijah and Grayson shielded me from the attack. When I came to I noticed that none of the personnel made any attempt to detain myself or the two unconscious men protecting me.
That gave me the time to get them both into the manor without delay. I had Elijah take our room so he could heal and rest while Grayson took the last guest room that we did not renovate for the children. I had not left the couch.
I can hardly eat and I do not remember the last time I fell asleep. My eyes are constantly glued to the big screen in the den. Even though I scan the channels before they all are reporting the same thing: me and my wolf.
Its been days since the world has found out that I am part werewolf, thanks to the syndicate. There are several stations covering my transformation during the awards ceremony. I flip through any and all channels while griping the remote trying to see the coverage of the exposure.
I probably should not be watching any of this.
But I cannot pull my eyes away from the screen. Panic and anxiety has already set in for me and its the fact that the entire world is against me.
Today on Entertainment Live we are covering the recent discovery of werewolves as seen in the clips of talented actress Ava. During her speech she appears to have lost control and turn—
Click—
“Can you believe the sheer power that animal has running through the city.”
“I think the property damage alone is in the hundred thousands.
And you said that was Ava—
click—
If werewolves exist what else is out there? Vampires? Fairies? Maybe even the chupacabra!”
I hear a snort and chuckle behind me. I do not need to turn around to see that it is Grayson laughing at the new coverage.
“They wished the chupacabra was a real thing. Would be better to blame a goat eating lizard than your next door neighbor for stealing your live stock.”
Grayson sits down next to me and I can tell he is trying to cheer me up. I honestly wish I could let him. Looking at him now you would have never known Grayson was in a gun fight.
“Tell me Grayson, how Elijah is doing with all of the media and his injures.”
“Well his injuries like mine have all but healed. At least the military does not use silver bullets,” he says.
He is joking of course; any bullet aimed at the right place with get the job done. When I don’t laugh Grayson clears his throat and moves on.
“The studio has taken a bit of a hit considering their starlet is a werewolf. Most of the humans that have backed your projects and Elijah’s success are distancing themselves to avoid being singled out as a supported or even a werewolf. Not that I blame them, humans tend to run from or confront anything that scares them.”
I bend my legs into my chest and bury my head in my knees.
I caused this.
Grayson shifts in front of me and puts his hands each on the side of my face. I can feel him gently nudging me to look at him. When I meet his eyes I can see happiness and hope. Something that is in short supply for me right now.
“Do not blame yourself.” Grayson said.
“How can I not blame myself, Grayson. This is all my fault,” I try not to cry.
“Elijah and I had figured out the moment you mind linked with us that someone sabotaged your speech.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember that toxin that made the wolf hounds of Elijah’s go berserk on you?”
All I could do was nod. Eyolf and Conner had attacked me and Elijah out of nowhere. Later Elijah told me that they had been given a slow burning toxin designed to bring out the animal instinct to the user.
We believe that your award that you had on stage was laced with a small dosage to push out your wolf but not enough to make you attack anyone. The syndicate wanted you to transform in front of the audience. They were hoping that you would win and they used that to their advantage.”
“But even if the syndicate had that planned all along it is my fault that you and —-
“Don’t you dare!” Grayson shouted at me. “You are our Luna and Elijah is the Alpha of this tribe it is his duty to protect us and you. Do not think for one second that he would not take a bullet for you.”
I could hear him growl the last bit of words to me. I could tell with everything going on Grayson’s wolf was demanding control of the situation.
“I’m sorry, but after everything I still feel guilty about all of this.”
“I understand, but Ava do not wallow in that feeling too long. Sooner or later your mate is going to need you. We all are going to need you.
With that Grayson walked off to the second floor of the house leaving me to stare at the screen alone in the dark.
With all the video submissions to the news channels and the posting on social media I was thankful that our children were still in the werewolf realm. Julianna had called me saying that she would help Melissa and Doni keep an eye on them.
As I stood up and began to move around I realized that I had never seen Elijah’s house completely blacked out. Usually a few curtains would be drawn or all of them pulled back, but after the attack Grayson helped me block out all of the curtains to keep passerby out.
I pushed my wavy hair out of my face and made my way up stairs. I needed to see my mate. I longer for his touch in all my chaotic thoughts. But when I got to the bedroom I saw that the bed had been made.
Where was he?