Chapter 69

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I looked for anyone in the house, anyone I trusted. My heart sped, beating a thousand miles per hour. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears and my head throbbing out of realization. After so long, it finally came to me.

When I reached downstairs, I found both Gabriella and Arnold gathered by the stairs, waiting for me as I screamed for them. Neither of them seemed as if they were sleeping or resting, however, Gabriella was wearing her robe which meant she was heading to sleep.

"What's wrong?" She asked me, her face full of concern.

"I know who the hunters are."

Arnold stepped forward while keeping his taut posture, "Who?" He furrowed his brows as the mystery collected in the air.

"Bryce and his family," I responded, my lip quivered and I blew out a shaky breath. My gaze turned to Arnold, "I told you I had seen the mark somewhere and it was on Bryce's back. It was like a tattoo and he's the only one that could have access to anyone and anywhere in the town."

Things began clicking in my head and my heart continued to pound hard. My gut churned at the thought of it all. It was right there, the hunters, they were right there and I couldn't figure it out.

"Are you sure?" He cocked a brow at me.

"Who's Bryce?" Gabriella folded her arms across her chest.

"He's my ex-boyfriend..." I trailed off as I tried to remember who else he was apart from my ex.

Gabriella looked up at the stairs, "You haven't told him, haven't you?"

I shook my head, "No, King's asleep. He just slept. I didn't want to bother him." My voice lowered from the panicking tone I was carrying along with myself for over the past couple of minutes.

I wondered what King would think about it if I told him, Bryce, my ex-boyfriend was one of the hunters.

He had already beat him up once.

I walked away from the stairs along with them and we moved the conversation into the library room as we didn't want to be overheard by anyone around us. There were a couple of security guards here and there and Arnold felt uncomfortable with any strangers hearing our conversation.

I sat down on the mixed-colored couch while catching my breath. "We had been dating for a couple of years. I don't remember exactly but there were a few moments when I saw the tattoo on his back. He never told me what it was or what it meant. Though, I asked him a thousand times. It's the same mark!" I exclaimed, dashing my head to Arnold and then back to Gabriella as they both stared back at me.

"How are you so sure it's him?"

"Because of the mark. It's a family mark. It must be his family and he knew where my Aunt lived. He could've easily killed her and he could've shot King on that night because he knew where I was going to be after the funeral." I paused for a second, my head flashing. "He was there at the funeral, staring at me. He must've followed me here and attacked us. And—his family, it's terrible." I tried to explain them as much as I could as everything inside me agreed that Bryce and his family were the hunters.

"Do you have his address?" Arnold asked as he pulled out his phone from his pants and tapped on a few digits.

"45H street. House number is 38." I quickly said.

Arnold stepped aside to drop a message to someone while Gabriella sat next to me. She had mixed emotions going through her face. Her eyes were wide open and there was barely any color over her cheeks.

"He told me once his family has lived here for over thirty years," I whispered to her.

"Do you think they killed mine?"

I shrugged, "Maybe."

I was certain that his family had something to do with all of this, especially since I had seen the mark on Bryce. They were always the odd kind, strict and quiet.

But was this all?

Had Bryce or his family killed Aunt Carol? Was he the one that had tried to shoot me earlier? Was it really him? I lowered my head and asked myself those questions. Could he hurt me? He already had done once. He had hurt me a long time ago.

Carol always told me he was one of the bad guys and I should keep my distance from him. She always warned me and she was right.

I shouldn't have ever dated Bryce.

Minutes passed, Arnold turned and approached us. Straightening his shoulders, he said, "The house has been cleared. There is no one living in it."

I jerked up from the couch, "But I know his family, I had seen them there!" I exclaimed.

"I believe you but we aren't able to find them. I have sent out a few men to look for Bryce and his family. If we aren't able to find them by morning, they probably have fled the town."

I shook my head several times while pacing around the library in silence. If Bryce was one of the hunters, he couldn't leave town. I couldn't let him and if he had dared to touch my Aunt Carol, I couldn't let him live either.

"I know where he will be," I said while staring at the rain pouring outside. Little droplets formed around the window inside the room and my memories took me back to the time when I was dating Bryce.

I grabbed the coat off the hanger and stepped out of the room. Arnold followed me, and then he stood in front of me, blocking my way out, "I'm afraid I can't let you leave alone." He stretched his arm, covering the door, the only way out.

"Why?"

"It's dangerous." He stated.

"He's not wrong, Eos. If you go out there and find him and if he turns out to be a hunter, he will kill you in seconds." Gabriella added from behind me. "Take someone with you."

On a rainy evening, Bryce always enjoyed getting a little high from the drugs he always took. He forced me to take it with him as well and I did. We spent most of the winters wasted on some alley, in the corner, with other druggies and I remembered exactly where the alley was.

"What about King?" I placed my hand over my head, rubbing the sides. "I can't leave without telling him but I don't want to disturb him," I added.

I wanted to find Bryce and question him. I wanted to know if my thoughts were right. I wanted to know if he was the hunter of werewolves and if he had killed my Aunt Carol.

"It's fine. I'll take care of him when he wakes up." She gave me a smile full of comfort before rubbing my shoulders and turning around. "Give her some men."

"But—" Arnold was cut off in seconds.

"It's fine. She's a big girl and if she can find him, we can hold him hostage until the rest of the family is found. Then, we can leave the decision up to King on what to do with them." She explained to him with revenge in her eyes and tone.

My shoulders sagged and I sighed before grabbing the handle of the door and pulling it open. I stepped out of the house and tightened the coat around my waist while waiting for Arnold to send a couple of King's men.

While waiting, I tried to think of everything odd that had happened in my relationship with Bryce. Now, seeing it all again, I realized he was a terrible mistake, one I shouldn't have ever made.

The door behind me opened and I looked over my shoulders to find Arnold stepping outside of the house while carrying an umbrella. "I'm coming along with you." He stood behind me, under the pouring rain, and said. "You're his mate and it's my duty to protect him and to protect him, I have to protect you."


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