Hunted Shadows (Book 1) In Heavy Editing

Part 2

Abby's POV (Marcella's adoptive mother)

Thoughts raced through my mind as I noticed her emotional shift. Her mind was almost akin to a barren landscape, almost as if she had no thoughts or memories. She seems to be smarter than we were hoping for, not that we didn't want a smart daughter because we did, we just wanted a naïve daughter that would be easier to fool and keep our secret safe. Marcella knows to fear us, but I don't know what she fears. However I did find it odd how she doesn't talk, make eye contact, and when I frowned she flinched. I wish I knew what was wrong, and feeling her every emotion wasn't helping my worry. I have an unusual talent for a wolf shifter, I'm an empath, meaning I can feel everyone's emotions. It get overwhelming sometimes, but no matter how hard I try I can't block it off. When I feel a connection with someone I feel as they do. My mate often worried that it would somehow bring my downfall, feeling someone experience death would most likely kill me. There are stories of a girl that could feel when someone was born or died, they say it drove her to insanity and she died when her sister did. They say her and her sister shared this connection to life and death, and when one died the other got to overwhelmed with the feeling. I couldn't do that exactly, but if someone I'm connected to died I would feel it. This ability scared me growing up, and it still does scare me.

I went downstairs and into my mate's study where he was pouring over some business papers. We owned a legal business with bases all over the world. This always took time away from us as he was the head. He had to oversee almost everything that happened in any of the bases or HQ.

He looked up at my distressed form and walked over to me, opening his arms and held me. He whispered sweet nothings as I cried about my fears and what I felt from Marcella. After about an hour of me being a blubbery mess I lifted my eyes to his kind, concerned face. I knew through our mate bond he could feel everything, hear every thought going through my head. I knew he knew how scared I really was about our new daughter, and what he alpha would do. Our alpha didn't take too kindly to strangers, or humans. He believed they were dangerous and worthless, a couple years ago he went on a business trip and had come back angry, fuming about 'missing his chance'. Also the big conference for all super naturals was coming up soon, and they didn't permit humans in even if they did know about us. I didn't know what to do with Marcella when that time came.

"Love, stop thinking so hard," Mark shushed my thoughts.

"What will the alpha say though?" I asked scared he would reject her.

"He will have to deal with it because she is our daughter now," I nodded knowing he was right. "Now, let's go make dinner," he took my hand and led me to the kitchen. Tonight I was going to make a simple chicken dinner.

Marcella's POV

After my mother left I took a shower and was getting out as a knock sounded.

"Yes?" I asked not knowing who it was at the door.

"Dinner in 15," my mother said, retreating footsteps told me she had gone away. I got the rest of the way dressed and went down stairs. Mother and Father were talking, but strangely when they noticed me they changed the subject. If I'd been raised in a normal home I wouldn't have notice but lucky for me my old parents taught me to pay attention to everything. I knew they had been talking about the alpha and me. They were worried about his reaction to me, and how the pack would react.

The next morning I was up at 4am, and was making breakfast. Because I knew what they were talking about I knew they were sending me to school today. I knew it was a human/shifter school, but still, shifters are shifters, and from what I've experienced with shifters I'm not a big fan of the teenaged variety. These were the shifters I found liked to tease and torture the weak. I can't wait to meet all the bleach blonde, prissy whores, with their four year old shorts and toddler shirts.

Yup my life is a bucket of rainbows, but I'd like to see them try and bully me. In my old "pack" I could take on the alpha and that's another reason they got rid of me, I was then a treat but they all still loved me. I love it though, being able to look all innocent and then you get me peeved and you're done for, I'm like that small animal you think is innocent but it turns out it can kill you. People used to fear me, and now they will try and push me around like I'm a harmless creature that couldn't hurt a fly. Now I would need to really act the part of a harmless creature and to watch out for the soon to be and already is beta. They can cause serious trouble for me, like kill me or get me killed by the alpha. Again another reason they got rid of me, the beta convinced the alpha I was a threat, but I was only human. The beta had tried to hurt me, all I did was protect myself. They knew to keep me safe they couldn't keep me there.

School started at eight, but I needed to get in a morning run before heading off to that Hell hole. I grabbed a bottle of water after eating my breakfast, put on my running shoes, and headed out the door. I was only going to run a mile or so and end at the park. I saw someone else running just slightly ahead of me. I quickened my pace to match hers, and found it easy enough. She turned slightly surprised that someone else was running with her. We kept on in an easy silence until we got to the park I had seen on my way to the house yesterday.

"Hi, I'm Tanya," the girl held out her hand. I took it shaking it firmly.

"I'm Marcella, but you can call me Marcy," she nodded and smiled at me.

"You're the Varulv's daughter right?"

"Yeah, I just got here yesterday. It's a beautiful place here,"

"You're right, I've never noticed that. I grew up here so I suppose it would look different to someone new," she laughed, and I joined her.

"Well I've got a whole run back to my house and a warm shower calling my name. want to join me?"

"It's good to have someone to run with. Gets lonely sometimes on your own," I agreed and we were off. I made it back at around six thirty, which meant I only had a half hour to shower, get more food, and get to school.