Bitten (Once Bitten, Twice Shy #1)(25)

Nameless snorted. "No, I'm afraid invisibility is not one of our many talents."

"And besides," Markus added, sneering, "There are some people who know our own existence. Hunters."

Katherine felt Caleb tense up next to her. She turned towards him. His hands were trembling. Katherine immediately turned her attention back to the brawny man.

"Hunters?"

"Those men at your house," he explained, ignoring the dirty looks he was getting from the rest of the vehicle's occupants, "are prime examples."

Katherine could feel her lungs constrict and for a moment, oxygen was denied from her.

Markus didn't seem to notice as he continued to talk. "Still don't know what hunters are? Here's a hint princess. Instead of out shooting pheasants in the fields, they're after us. You. And they don't kill clean."

Katherine desperately wanted to punch the jerk, but was beaten to it when Sophie reached back and slapped him clear across the face.

"What the hell, woman?"

The blonde just glared. "You just be glad it was me who did it," she growled back and Katherine noticed her eyes flicker to Bastian. He looked furious. Markus must have gotten the hint as he shut his mouth. But Katherine was already getting a sense of his personality and knew without a doubt that he'd be back to harassing her soon enough.

Sophie smiled apologetically. "Sorry, sweetie. We keep meaning to get him fixed."

The glare she received from the man would have sent weaker folks running. But she just ignored him. "Hunters are one of the many reasons we keep to ourselves. Obviously, there aren't many of us or we wouldn't be able to hide like we do. In fact, there are only four werewolf colonies in all of North America. The one in Canada is the biggest. It's made up of a dozen or so packs and we're one of them."

"So you're a pack?" she asked skeptically.

Nameless sighed, clearly exasperated. "Didn't we already explain this?"

Katherine glared. "Aren't you kind of... you know... small for a pack?"

"A pack can be anywhere from two to a couple dozen wolves," he immediately insisted. "As long as, of course, they have an alpha. Bastian is our alpha." He nodded towards the blue eyed man. "Markus is our beta, or second-in-command," he pointed towards the man in question. "There’s also Sophie, who’s Bastian’s sister,” he gestured towards the blonde, “and Caleb, who you’re stuck sharing the backseat with.” He paused for a moment. “Oh, and my name's Zane by the way."

Not so nameless after all then.

"Well, if you're one of these packs, then why aren't you at your so called colony in Canada?"

"That is none of your business," Bastian immediately interjected from his place behind the wheel. His eyes met hers through the rearview mirror and the warning they contained made her want to claw his face.

If she had claws.

Which she didn't.

"None of my business?" Katherine demanded. "I’m the one who was bitten!" And with that, realization dawned.

"Which one of you did it? Which one of you bit me?" Judging by the nauseous feeling in her belly, she already knew.

It was only quiet for a moment before he opened his mouth. "It was me."

Bastian.

Katherine wanted to throw up. But even more than that she wanted to yell – to scream at the man who had done this to her. "This is your entire fault," she managed to choke out. "You... how could you do this?" Her voice only increased in volume as she continued. "I hate you!"

Katherine was vaguely aware of Markus rolling his eyes at what he probably thought was her being dramatic. But she was too caught up in her rage and devastation to even acknowledge him. "My parents…" she mumbled under her breath.

And how could she have forgotten about them even for a moment?

She didn't even know what those hunters had done to her mother. And her father. She had left him broken and bleeding in what had once been the dining room of her home. Brad too, she reminded herself. He was buried under a pile of rubble.

"My parents," she repeated. "And Brad. They're hurt. And it's all because of you!"

And then another realization hit her. And, oh God, how could she have forgotten it?

"I never got them help," she whispered to herself.

"It's too late for them," Bastian said softly.

Katherine looked up at him, denial gleaming in her eyes. "What do you mean it's too late?" she shouted, spitting his words back at him. "It's not too late. What if no one knows that they're hurt? How long have I been out? Turn this car around. I need to get them help!"

"I said that it's too late," Bastian barked, though his voice was devoid of anger. "They... when we left the house after you... they were already gone."

"Gone? What do you mean gone? They were injured. It's not like they could've just gotten up and walked out of there!"

"Katherine." Bastian's voice demanded her attention. Katherine numbly acknowledged that this was the first time any of them had said her name. She didn't want to think about how they knew it. And then, with finality, he said, "They're dead."

Katherine could feel the tears gathering in her eyes even as she began chanting the mantra… he's lying, he's lying, he's lying... in her head. She wanted to scream those words at him, inform him that he was nothing but a dirty liar. But even in the midst of her despair, she couldn't deny his words and the conclusiveness in which he’d said them.