Broken Hearts Mend

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Carly felt powerless as she watched the Reed Pack break off into pairings and leave their home. It shouldn’t be like this, hunters shouldn’t have the right to destroy their lives, and yet here they were running scared. Werebeings were strong and dominate in their own way. They were warriors. It went against their nature to run and hide, yet they all knew better than to try and battle their long time enemy. Hunters out numbered them, their weapons out powered them.

Over the last two days, Andrew and Marc worked nonstop coordinating the safe houses and all forms of communication while the pack was broken up. There was a list of check in times and safety words every one of them memorized.

Families within the pack traveled alone, as well as mates, and those that were left broke into teams of two. Marc didn’t want anyone alone and small groups meant more control over their surroundings. Andrew was traveling with Shelby. Thomas and Nathan, Calvin and Charlie were some of the other teams.

Carly wasn’t all that surprised when Marc revealed they were being partnered up during this high alert. The pack didn’t know her and if she did turn out to be a well hidden threat, it was the alphas job to neutralize her.

While not surprised, she was very wary. She and Marc barely got along over the last week. Even when they tried, the moment still found a way to be tense.

Marc saw the last group of his housemates out.

Carly was leaning into the arm rest of the couch when he stepped back inside the cabin. “Andrew didn’t look like he wanted to leave your side.”

“He’s very loyal and my best friend, but his priority needs to be Shelby. If we stuck together, he’d try to take on the weight of tracking the pack and easing my burdens.”  He ran his hand back and forth over his short brown hair, his eyes sweeping over the living room.

“I don’t want to be your damsel in distress cowered in the corner. I can help you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“That sounds like a fancy no.”

“No one’s ever call me fancy before.” He winked at her, before heading up the staircase two at a time.

“Where are you going?” she called out.

“To finish packing and then we can hit the road.”

Carly stood there and shrugged. All her bags were already packed, it made sense they should leave so soon. There was an unknown threat looming with their motive unclear, nothing else should matter. Yet….Carly wasn’t thrilled to be alone with the alpha all this time. There’d be no more pack members to play buffer. She was worried they’d find something to argue over, leaving the whole trip tense and uncomfortable. She was also greatly concerned about it going well instead, Marc was an infectious man and it was too easy to like him.

 Bothered by her thoughts, Carly turned and went to the kitchen to kill some time. There were still some dishes from dinner that could be washed.

It was ten minutes later and a coffee mug left, when Carly heard someone ring the front doorbell. She peaked out from the kitchen and watched as Marc came down the stairs and opened the door.

A woman with red hair and a big smile stood on the other side. She jumped into Marc’s arms and gave him a long kiss. The alpha was caught by surprise, he braced his hands on the woman’s shoulders to ease her back.

“You left this at my place.” The woman said with her smile still big, reaching in her back pocket to pull a black leather wallet free. “Got the address from your license.” It didn’t sound like whatever relationship the two had was serious.

“Thanks. I’m actually pretty busy right now….” He left the statement to hang there. The redheaded woman was human and had no understanding of his heritage, if he were to try and explain what he was up to.

“Ok. You know where to find me when you want to.” She reached up and kissed him again before leaving.

Carly stepped back and continued with her work in the kitchen. Marc’s business was his own, certainly not hers. She was rather curious about whom the woman was, but curiosity didn’t equal importance.

Her thoughts drifted to the mate Marc mentioned once before, the who didn’t return his commitment. Something like that was devastating and he couldn’t be blamed for wanting to seek out solace casually in other women. For someone who looked like Marc, it must come easy to find a willing woman anyway.

Carly turned off the faucet and let her thoughts continue to manifest. She couldn’t imagine not finding Ian and sharing that love, even though it was cut tragically short by those hunters. Ian was beautiful with a dazzling smile and fun sense of humor. He was her best friend and now with him gone, she had no one.

Tears burned her eyes at the saddening thoughts and the images of his lifeless bloodied body. He was far too good and loving to be taken out in such a manner. His family, two loving parents and a sweet sister, wanted someone to blame and like the cops, they pointed their fingers at her. After all, there was a so called witness and the officers swearing they found her with the fresh dead body and hands covered in blood. That was true, her hands had his blood, but not because she took his life.

Stupidly, she thought there was something she could do to bring him back.

“Carly? Carly?” he said her name twice before it started to register. The third time, he touched his hand to her shoulder. “Carly?”

“What? Yeah, I was killing time by cleaning up.” She reached for a paper towel to dry her hands, it was a good reason not to look at him.

“Thanks. Now I don’t have to worry about any roaches while we’re gone. Are you ready?”

“Yes.” She was nearly home free and out of his inquisitive crosshairs, but she sniffed back the last of her cries.  

Marc heard the sound and wasn’t willing to let it go forgotten. He reached for her wrist, pulling her around to face him and reveal the evidence on her cheeks. “Why are you crying?”

“I have things to cry over.” Another sad and overbearing truth. “I was thinking about Ian and I don’t want to discuss it.”

“It might help if you do.”

“You, the big secretive alpha is trying to sell me on the healing factors of sharing? I don’t buy it. Tell me about your trauma first.” It was easier to be combative.

“Trauma?”

“The reason you go out every night and have strange woman return your wallet the next day. Tell me about the mate you had to give up.” Carly couldn’t sit down and explain exactly why she wanted to know such deep parts about Marc but she did, she wanted to understand what made him who he was now, to know something that would allow them to connect. Lost mates was that connection.

He stepped back, like she hit him and his expression became guarded. “It’s not the same as what you’re going through.”

“Loss is loss.”

“I already told you there was someone better and that’s who she belongs with. True mates is a strong connection, but it doesn’t always make it the right one. Chosen mates have an equally strong bond and the memory of getting to that place without some hidden force guiding them.” Marc shrugged, bitterness lining his expression and body language. “Some would argue love is supposed to be a choice, not a fate predestined.”

“I knew Ian before my first turn and the bond intensified. I knew him as my chosen and my true.” Fresh tears took over and gripped her throat, straining her words. “I grew up loving him.”

“I’m sorry.” Marc touched his hand to her wrist again, but not for answers, but for comfort. He took a few steps to close the distance and embraced her in a hug. “I’m sorry.”