The Tribrid

The Journey Begins

Emily's POV
I wake up and roll over. I open my eyes to see Liam looking at me.
"Are you watching me sleep?" I say through a yawn.
"Did you take my pants off?"  Liam asks as he lets out a yawn.
I giggle.
"Quite possibly."
"Well if you didn't, someone snuck in here and took them off."
"Oooh Scandalous."
"Very." We laugh together as Liam pulls me closer to him. I nestle my head under his chin. Oh I have missed my mate. I breathe in his scent and wrap my arm around him.
"You ready to leave today?" He asks.
"I will be, but I need to do something first." He pulls back and looks me in the eyes.
"What's that?"
"I need to talk to Mike."
"What? Why?"
"I need to understand why he did what he did. It doesn't make sense. I've known him my whole life! And so have you. I want to ask him about his involvement with Luther and about your parents." Liam sits up in bed. I know he doesn't want me to do this, but I need to.
"Liam, don't be mad at me."
"I'm not mad. I just don't like how he's tried to manipulate you in the past, and I'm worried he'll do it again." I place my hand on his shoulder.
"He can't manipulate me anymore, not now that I've seen the truth of who he is." I say, thinking of how he tried to forcefully mark me.
"I'm guessing you want to go in alone?"
I give Liam a guilty smile.
"Preferably." I admit.
"Well we should at least eat first. Then I'll walk you over there." Liam gets up from bed and holds out his hand for me. I smile and take his hand. We get changed and ready then head out for breakfast.
What a surprise to see my mom in the kitchen cooking, NOT.
"Hey mom." I say.
"Good morning Emily, Liam." My mom replies cheerfully.
"Good morning Emily. Wolf." Cyran says.
"I don't think he likes me." Liam says via mind link.
"I'm not sure why. He doesn't even know you or me for that matter!"
I can tell I'm irritated that someone would dare have a bad thought about my mate.
"Morning Cyran." I say his name harshly to express my dislike for the way he spoke to Liam. We all take a seat at the table. Miranda and Hiroen walk in from the front door.
"Good morning all." Hiroen says.
"Morning" I say.
"You ready to head to the mountains today Emily?" Miranda asks.
"Yeah. I'm excited to see it. If it looks anything like my vision, it's definitely impressive."
"Oh it is indeed." Hiroen adds.
"Breakfast is ready." My mom says and everyone gets up to grab some food.
"Angela, these eggs are divine!" Hiroen says through big bites.
"They sure are!" Cyran adds.
"Thank you! My secret is to not season them until I'm JUST about to add them to the pan" Mom replies.
"We should be able to leave in a few hours." Miranda says
"Good that should give me enough time to talk to Mike." Everyone stops eating and looks at me. I ignore them and keep on eating.
"And why would you want to do that?" Hiroen asks.
"It needs to be done. And no one is talking me out of this." My mom places her hand on mine.
"No one was going to talk you out of it. I think it's a good idea."
"You do?"
"Yes, you need closure ducky. We were going to suggest it." Cyran says.
I finish breakfast and Liam walks with me to the tent where they are keeping Mike.
I take a deep breath before I enter. I know Liam doesn't want me to go in alone, but I appreciate that he trusts me. I walk through the flaps of the tent and I see Mike tied up sitting on the floor. There is a guard in the room who stands when I enter.
"Can I have a moment alone with the prisoner?" At the sound of my voice, Mikes head pops up. He looks happy to see me.
"Yes Tribrid." He bows and leaves the tent. That was the first time I've been called the Tribrid and been bowed to. Strange. I notice Mikes face change after a moment. I purposely wore something to show I am unmarked. He looks angry.
"Are you seriously upset to see your forced mark on me is gone!!?" I snap.
I thought I could stay calm..
Mike was my best friend for 18 years. Now it's as if I don't even know him. What has happened to my friend.
He doesn't answer me and looks back at the ground. I take a deep breath to compose myself. I pull a chair up next to him and take a set.
"Mike, what happened to you?" I ask.
"You have no idea what's really going on Emily." I am shocked by the coldness in his voice.
"Explain it to me." I say equally as stern.
"I am trying to protect you."
"By force marking me?"
"Yes!"
"How is that protecting me?"
"If you were mine, you would be safe. No one would be able to take you from me!!"
"What about your parents and Luther?" He looks surprised that I know of their involvement.
"Like I said before, you don't understand."
"Tell me!"
"I made a deal for your life!" He shouts back. "I would have sacrificed ANYONES life for yours!" He tugs at his restraints and I lean away from him. "But all you wanted was Liam. You should have just mated with me and none of this would have happened."
I was silent, I didn't know what to say.
"You let them kill Brody!"
"I tried to send him away. But like you, he couldn't let it go."
"How did you find me?" I ask.
He laughs.
"Your stepdads necklace. He's been tracking you since the beginning. Can't trust anyone." Mike leans back on the post.
My stepdads necklace? The one he gave me for my 18th birthday?! It's a tracker!  I stand up, I need to get rid of it.
"They already know where you are. It's only a matter of time before they come." Mike says.
"We won't be here when they do." I say over my shoulder and leave the tent. I hurry past Liam, who was waiting outside for me. I rush into the house and to my room. I felt Liam following close behind me.
"Babe what's going on?" I smile at the new nickname, but spot what I'm looking for on my bedside table. I pick it up and bring it out to Miranda, Hiroen, mom, and Cyran.
"We need to destroy this."
"Your necklace from your father?" My mom asks.
"It's a tracker." I tell her.
"What?" She asks. Liam takes it from me.
"Wait, I have a better idea." Liam says. Liam takes my necklace outside and now I'm the one following him. He walks up to a guy and points to a rabbit in a cage. They shake hands and Liam takes a rabbit out.
"Here, hold this." He shoves this fluffy rabbit in my hands and I hold it. He ties the necklace around its neck and takes the rabbit back from me. We walk to the edge of the spell line and he points the rabbit in the opposite direction in which we are traveling. He lets the rabbit go and it quickly hops away.
"There, they will follow him now." Liam says.
"Smart thinking babe." I say as I reach down and take his hand. He laces his fingers through mine and kisses me on my temple.
"Come on. We need to finish packing. We will be heading out soon."
Liam and I head back to the cabin. We pack up what little belongings we have.
"You ready for this?" Liam asks.
"Ready as I'll ever be." We walk out of the cabin and meet Miranda and my mom.
"Liam do you mind helping them?" Miranda points to a cart with only three wheels. Liam kisses my cheek and goes over to help.
"Soo how are things with Liam?" Miranda teases. We all giggle and start walking. Hiroen is in the front of the group leading. The journey to the mountains is several days long, and we have just started. I look back at Miranda's cabin one last time as we head towards safer lands.
       ..............................

           ~~Meanwhile~~

"Councilmen, they are preparing to relocate to the mountains. Once they arrive it will be harder to get to the girl."
"Very well. We will need to send a team to intercept them. Send Finch, he never misses his mark. Let him prove himself."
"Very good councilman." He bows and leaves.
"We should have gotten rid of her long ago."
"No one likes and I told you so. She will be dealt with."
"And what of the Seekers?"
"Their little band of misfits can not stand up to us. The Pure will out."
"The Pure will out."