Thalia climbed up the hill and lay down on the grass next to Hailey with a smile on her face.

"So, why are you spying on that boy?" Thalia whispered as she pointed to a teenage boy working out in the forest.

"Jesus Thalia! You scared the hell out of me you sneaky vamp!" Hailey hit her shoulder before directing her attention back to Mason, "I'm not spying on him".

"You're not? Is that why you're hiding on top of a cliff watching a shirtless guy work out while you're wearing a camouflage suit and binoculars?" she asked her raising both eyebrows.

Hailey slowly looked at Thalia and glared at her shaking her head "Oh my god you're an idiot! You think I have a crush on him don't you? I thought vampires were smart!" She grinned "I'm not spying and I don't have a crush on him." She took in a deep breath before telling her "that's Mason, he has changed a lot in just a week which isn't normal, so I'm keeping an eye on him."

"Hailey, please elaborate. He changed how?"

"He has always been the slim scrawny boy, and look at him now! Last week I saw him shirtless and he wasn't so toned, he had no muscles and now he has a killer body". He's on the football team now and I watched him play, he's really fast and tries hard to hide it. I mean, I might be wrong but I smell supernatural here."

"A vampire maybe?"

"I honestly have no idea, that's what I've been trying to figure out while you spent every day with Nate in your bedroom doing God knows what". She smirked at her friends and started packing her stuff.

Thalia said nothing and just shrugged, she didn't know what to say to defend herself. Since Nate and her embraced the truth of their connection she couldn't seem to keep away from him. She needed to stay with him at all times not caring about anything else in the world even her revenge. His presence calmed her. They walked silently back to the main road where Hailey had parked her car, until Thalia broke the silence.

"You know maybe we should ask Nate about him. He knows a lot and maybe by smelling him he can tell us what he is?"

"Are you girls talking about me?"

Both girls looked back alarmed to see Mason standing behind them with his arms folded against his chest. Thalia watched him trying to pick up his scent, he was definitely not human but he wasn't a vampire either.

"yes! we are!" Hailey said walking to him while Thalia stayed back thinking this was a bad idea, but then again, this is Hailey and most her ideas were bad. "What happened to you Mason? you changed so fast!"

Mason chuckled "I changed? no I haven't changed, you just started to see me as who I really am." he looked at Thalia and back at Hailey, "tell me, how come a vampire and a witch are best friends? I don't see that every day".

"Witch? Vampire? What are you talking about? Looks like you read a lot of fiction"

"Cut the crap Hailey. I know everything about you two, and I could smell you miles away".

Thalia bit her lip and joined them standing between Mason and her friend just in case he was dangerous. "Are you a wolf?"

He nodded "And you're Tatiana? Nate's mate?"

Just hearing his name brightened her mood "you know my Nate?"

"I'm here to kill him".

In a matter of seconds Mason was backed up against a tree with Thalia's hands around his throat "What did you just say?" she hissed menacingly. Hailey had never seen her friend this mad or this menacing and it scared her a bit.

"I said, I'm here to kill him" he repeated himself not even scared of her "now move before I hurt you".

"you're kidding right?" she looked at Hailey "is this a joke?" she didn't release him, she didn't feel like she could let him go after menacing her mate, but Hailey came closer and pulled her away. It took a lot to break her grip without using magic and hurting her.

"Thalia, let's talk this through and see what he has to say".

Mason pushed her away and walked to the spot he usually trains in, knowing they would follow him. He collected his shirt from a rock and put it before gathering his things in his green duffle bag. He stole a glance at Thalia and smirked when he saw how fuming she was, she looked cute like that.

"What did Nathaniel do to you?" she asked him impatiently "Why do you want to kill him?"

At first, Mason said nothing he just looked at Hailey and back at her not sure if it was a good idea to tell them. But seeing how mad Thalia was, he knew she would never let him leave before he told her everything.

"Nathaniel is an outlaw; he turned you and another girl from this town. He has the right to turn you since you're his mate, but that other girl? He took away her humanity and she's being held by the council now. "

"I know all this, but what is it to you? Are you a member of the council? But no that can't be you're a wolf."

"No I'm not in the council, as you said I can't be. I'm a hunter Thalia. A vampire hunter. Someone paid me a great sum to kill Nathan"

"If you're doing this for the money, I can pay you just leave him alone"

He chuckled "relax, I'm not here to kill him I'm here to warn him".

"You're confusing me...why would you warn him if it's your job to kill him?"

"I can't kill Nathaniel for two reasons; first, he's stronger than me. Second, I owe him my life. He saved me a few years back."

Hailey spoke up before Thalia could ask more about this, "I'm sorry to interrupt but something is...weird. If you are a hunter, how come you only changed a week ago?"

"Oh come on Hails! You're a witch! You should be able to detect spells everywhere" he winked.

"I'm curious, what kind of spell did you use?"

He chuckled "It doesn't matter Hailey, now take me to Nathaniel" he looked at Thalia being serious again, "We don't have much time. If I don't kill him within the week they'll send someone else to finish the job and maybe finish me along the way".

Thalia thought for a moment and looked at Hailey, "take him to Nathaniel's manor, I'll meet you there" she said and sprinted between the trees wanting to get there as soon as possible to tell Nathan everything.

Mason looked at Hailey and walked to the driver's side, "get in, I'm driving". Hailey blushed, she loved when a man was being bossy and it suited him to give orders here and there, it was like he was the alpha of a pack. She got in without protesting and put on her seat belt.

Thalia pushed the gates open and walked in... no she ran inside and looked for Nathaniel "Nate! Nate where are you?"

He showed up behind her and hugged her making her jump a little "I'm here, what's wrong? I thought you were going to spend the day with Hailey?"

She turned in his arms and hugged him tightly realizing how much she missed him, it felt like she hadn't seen him in ages. "I was, but something happened. A hunter...no no don't worry he didn't hurt me. He's not here for me, his mission is to kill you but he won't do it he says you saved his life so he wants to warn you"

"Saved his life?" Nathan frowned trying to remember "I saved lots of people but I don't remember a hunter being one of them"

"His name is Mason...does it ring a bell?"

"Mason, yes Mason I remember. He was camping with his sister and friends a few years back, wolves attacked them. I was hunting and heard them ...I saved them all but I compelled them to forget about me."

"He's a wolf, maybe that's why the compulsion didn't work"

"Maybe. But he wasn't a wolf back then, I don't remember him smelling as one."

"It doesn't matter, he's on his way" she paused "Wait, and you didn't even seem surprised that people wanted you killed, why?"

"Baby, don't worry about this okay? I'll take care of it, just stay out of trouble and don't feed on humans for the time being"

"No Nate! Just don't do this, how did you know they were coming for you?"

He ran a hand through his hair and looked outside "Cynthia. She heard Liam speak on the phone, they are trying to rehabilitate Karly, and it's not working well. She craves blood; they say I have created a monster and need to be punished. Liam told them he'd take care of me and kill me but Cynthia threatened to leave him, so he hired Mason."

Thalia was so mad she could kill Liam right now "how can we fix this? You need to meet with the council and clear your name or else they'll send hunter after hunter to get you."

"They can't hurt me Thalia don't worry I'm strong, you know it. Plus I have you by my side and I have a clever witch" he said smiling and looking up at the door as he saw Hailey and Mason getting in.

Hailey blushed "thanks! At least someone here knows what I'm capable of doing" she grinned and nudged Thalia. Mason smiled and introduced himself "I couldn't stop myself to listen to your conversation. And I'm sorry to tell you that you're wrong."

"What do you mean?" Nathaniel asked him before he sat down next to Thalia who immediately snuggled to his side.

"The council doesn't want you dead. They want you to have a trial like any other vampire, but your friend Liam wants you dead and offered to bring you to the council alive when he plans on killing you. He must hate you a lot..." he chuckled.

"When did he hire you?"

"Who Liam? He didn't"

Nathaniel straightened up and looked at him confused "What do you mean? If he's not who hire you, who did?"

"I thought you knew..." he frowned and held Nathaniel's gaze "Your brother sent me."