"How's he doing?"

My eyes darted up to Grayson who was leaning slightly over the back seat to stare down at Lucas.

It was just plain luck when Eva spotted him. Dad, Granddad and Ethan were alive too and thankfully only had minor injuries. We still had no clue how they managed to get away but frankly I didn't really care about it. My main concern was Lucas who had a deep gash across his abdomen.

Meredith, Ethan's friend who owned the Bed and Breakfast, had managed to stop the bleeding.

"He's still unconscious," I told him.

Grayson nodded. "It won't be long now. We'll get him to a doctor as soon as we're home."

I looked down at Lucas instead of answering him.

Going back home was the only option we had. We stood a better chance against the Hunters if our numbers matched theirs. As much as I would love to be surrounded by my own pack, I didn't want to risk putting them in danger too.

Grayson had offered his help and that of his pack which I had eagerly accepted.

More people were going to die but I rather it be strangers than my own family and friends.

My fingers slipped into the strands of Lucas's hair and then across the sweat beading on his forehead and upper lip. He was stretched out as much as the small space allowed with his head resting on my lap.

Eva sat in front of us with Grayson next to her while Dad drove with Granddad next to him. Ethan had decided to stay behind with Meredith instead of coming with us. It was for the best since I had no idea why a stranger like him would want to help us anyway. His house had already been destroyed because of me.

A low grown fell from Lucas's lips when the car hit a bump.

Dad muttered a curse. "There's a roadblock up ahead."

"Are they checking the cars?" Grayson asked.

"Can't see."

Grayson turned and glanced around the back. He pointed to something by Lucas's feet.

"Lie down and use the tarp to cover you," he ordered.

I carefully lowered Lucas's head and leaned down to grab it. The green tarp smelled like fish but it was big enough to cover us from head to toe. With my hand pressed to his chest, I stared at his face as I lay down on my side.

The tarp shifted slightly and then we were fully covered.

My breathing sped up as the car slowed. I couldn't stop the panic from filling me. What if they demanded to search the car? What if they found us and took Lucas away?

I shifted closer to his body, making my hand drifted lower to rest over the bandage. I froze when I felt the warmth of the wetness that was starting to soak through it.

He was bleeding again.

My lips parted but I managed to stop the words just in time. The car had come to a stop.

The panic I felt was for a whole other reason now. I only just found him; there was no way I was going to lose him. If he died it would be my fault. I'd be the reason for his death.

Everything that has happened has been my fault.

My mind raced as I tried to think of something I could do to save him. We couldn't wait until we reached Grayson's pack.

There was only one thing I could think of and I wasn't sure whether it was going to work or not.

I slowly pushed myself up onto my elbow and scooted higher where I could lean over him slightly. My blood was tainted so I had no clue if it was going to work, but I had to try.

But how was I going to feed it to him?

I raised my hand and curled my fingers like I would do if I were fighting. No matter how hard I tried, my nails didn't turn into claws.

A growl of irritation rose in my throat, but I managed to swallow it just in time.

I had no claws or sharp teeth but I could still heal as fast as them. Biting myself wouldn't do any good because I'd be healed before drawing any blood.

Dropping my forehead to his shoulder, I bit my lip to stop a whimper from escaping.

"Please don't leave me," I whispered to Lucas.

The car started moving—slowly rolling forward and then picking up speed. We stayed buried under the tarp for a few more minutes until it was removed.

My head snapped up when someone touched my leg. Blinking, I stared up at Grayson with a frown.

"H-he's bleeding again."

Grayson pursed his lips as his eyes darted over Lucas. Reaching up, he ran a hand through his hair.

"Eva, go sit in front."

She gasped. "I—"

"Do as I tell you," he growled.

Eva hesitated, huffed and then followed his order. Grayson hesitated, muttered a curse and then gestured for me to move out of the way. I resumed my earlier position at Lucas's head, but I kept my eyes focused on Grayson, watching his every move.

He leaned over Lucas and tensed. "Not a word about this to anyone," he hissed. "Understood?"

"Y-yes."

His short nails turned into black lethal claws which he used to rip the bandages covering Lucas's wound. The metallic smell of blood intensified once the bandages were pushed aside. It also revealed the nasty gash.

Holding one hand a few inches above the wound, Grayson pressed a claw to his palm and used it to slice his skin. He didn't flinch even though it must've hurt like hell.

Squeezing his hand closed, he allowed his blood to drip into the wound. Grayson had to cut his palm twice more because the wound healed within seconds.

Once he was done, he used what was left of the bandages to cover the gash again and then leaned closer, making me tense.

"Don't wipe the blood away," he whispered. "The wound is healing."

"T-thank you."

With a stiff nod, he took his seat again. My eyes darted to the front where Dad caught my eyes for a few seconds before he focused on the road again. Swallowing, my eyes darted over to Grayson. I stared at him as I tried to make sense of what he'd just done.

Just to make sure that he was telling the truth, I pushed the bandages aside slightly and used my fingertip to wipe some of the blood away.

My mouth dropped open in a silent gasp as I watched in amazement as the wound started to close, leaving his skin bright pink.

His blood healed faster than Dad's.

Questions flashed in and out of my mind but I pushed them aside. We all had secrets and Grayson just revealed one of his to heal my mate.

***

"Hey."

My eyes snapped up at the sound of Eva's voice. She hovered in the doorway, looking uncertain and totally out of her element which was strange considering the fact that she adjusted easily.

"Can I come in?" she asked softly.

"Why are you asking?"

Eva and I used to share a room up until we turned nine. Dad decided that it would be better for us to move into our own rooms since we were constantly fighting about stupid stuff.

"I don't know," Eva muttered as she entered the bedroom. "Have you heard anything about Lucas?"

"Not yet," I told her.

Eva took a seat across from me on the edge of the bed and silently watched me.

The moment we arrived at Grayson's pack, which was not what I had imagined it to be, he had escorted us to his home after handing Lucas over to a man that had yet to be introduced. They had similar futures which led me to thinking that that they were related somehow.

I'd taken a shower, changed into clothes that amazingly fitted perfectly and then went in search of Grayson. He was found in the kitchen with Granddad and Dad but he'd refused to tell me where Lucas was, claiming that he would call me once the doctor had checked him over.

I wanted to be at Lucas's side so fucking badly, but I was forced to wait.

"Ari," Eva called softly, snapping me back to reality. "I'm really sorry about the shit I said," she muttered when I looked at her.

"It's true, though," I told her. "I am a pussy. Everything that's been happening is my fault."

"It's partly my fault too," she sighed. "I forced you to go to that party with me. Will you forgive me?"

There was nothing to forgive her for.

Granddad David believed that things happened for a reason. If she had forced me to go to that party or not, it would not have changed a thing. Oliver would've still kidnapped me. It might have changed few events but it would still have happened either way.

Besides, if Oliver hadn't done what he did, then I would never have figured out that Lucas was my mate.

"Why don't you want a mate?" I asked Eva instead of answering her question.

Her eyes dropped to her lap. Eva swallowed loudly before she stood. "I'm not ready to be tied down to one person."

"Eva—"

"Not now, Ari," she interrupted. "I don't want a mate and I would really like it if you stop bringing up the subject."

"Eva," I called when she stood. "Sooner or later the truth is going to come out."

"It won't."

I got up and closed the space between us. "What about the mate-bond?" I called out. "For how long do you think you're going be able to ignore it?"

"You—"

"I saw what happened at the motel before those men came, Eva," I interrupted. "One touch from him and you turn into jelly. How are you going to fight the instincts whenever you and Lucas are in the same room?"

"Stay out of my business," Eva sneered at me.

"It's not just your business!" I yelled. "This affects the three of us. He's—"

"He's human," she growled. "A human who knows about us! A human who slaughtered men like it was nothing. A human boy who doesn't hesitate before he kills someone."

Eva walked closer until inches separated us. Her eyes darted over my face as her lips curled up into a mocking smile. "You seem to have forgotten that humans cannot be trusted, little sister."