INTERTWINE (Sex With A Beast Series #3)

| CHAPTER 23 |

"The local hunter born into a family of hunters."

"How do you know about my family?" He seemed almost surprised by my information.

"Your father. The money hungry hunter. Your mother; the ex-wife who just could not stand the dark life your family was living."

His jaw clenched tighter; the bone pressing against his flesh.

"Your brother; your father's leading left hand."

I could see how I hit a nerve in him.

"Isn't he the reason your father now frown upon you?"

"You don't know anything." He mumbled; his grimace look now hidden behind his beer mug.

"Your sister."

He looked at me.

"The rouge hunter who never played by the rules, however she was your father's little princess and can never go wrong in his eyes." I put pressure on him. "Her insanity drove you crazy."

I thought for a moment.

"If I'm not mistaken, I know an Alpha and his woman who are just itching to dig their teeth into her."

"I'm nothing like my family!" He grew angry as slammed his mug down, catching the attention of a few nearby customers.

"I didn't say you were."

There was something inside of him. It seemed to be some anger that was not yet tended to. Anger not against me, but a fury against the people that he once called family.

"They are not my family." He calmed down. "The only one I have, the only one I know is my mother. She is who I consider to be family."

I wasn't here for the stories; the reminiscing moments or heart to heart conversations. I was here for one reason. To know what caused this meeting.

"Why the hell am I here?" I questioned one last time.

"I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" I became confused. "Help me with what?"

"Please do not play dumb with me. How long do you expect to keep up with the charade? The hospitalization? How do you expect to keep her story active and alive before someone come looking for answers?" He questioned. "It won't be long before people start asking the question 'where is Aniyah's mother? Where is Terra Ross?'"

For the first time, I was not sure what to say. How could I answer that?

I flagged the bartender, signaling her that privacy was definitely needed for such a topic to even commence.

She nodded; pulling a bat from beneath the bar, she slammed it against the top, creating a quick silence of the spectators.

"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE OUT. THE BAR IS CLOSING EARLY. PACK YOUR SHIT AND GET THE HELL OUT."

Customers grumbled and cursed, however they knew not to put up a fight when it came to the infamous bartender.

Within seconds, the bar was cleared out, leaving no one but us and him.

"You question my capability?" I leaned forward.

"No." He clarified. "But as of now, it's not about what I think or how you feel. It's about returning Terra home to her daughter, to her home."

Now, I was the one tense.

"I know you guys are not accepting of outside help, especially with a hunter, however this is about more than our backgrounds. Someone is missing. Your fiancés mother, a human who was once living in the town I had sworn to help and protect. Of course I'm not asking you to like me, but I'm asking you to let me help."

He was intent; determined to assist in something that was honestly out of my control. What could he do? How could he possibly break down a wall we were all stuck at?

I looked at the others. Their faces confirming that they too were stuck in the moment; contemplating if agreeing to this was actually worth it.

I didn't like him; however what he said was true. This was no longer about us. It was no longer about a personal feud or vendetta. It was about returning her mother.

"First, I need you to understand something. We do not take kindly to traitors."

"Understandable." He nodded.

"That means if you ever cross me or my family." I warned. "I will have Zeiden here rip you apart....while your mother watch."

I wanted to get my point across; he had to understand that my loyalty was important and should never be broken.

"I understand." He assured.

I sat back, wondering if this was even worth it however a hundred eyes was always better than a few.

"Good."

"Now, I need to know some things."

"Things?" I questioned.

"Things. Anything. Information from you. Things that can help piece the puzzle together about her whereabouts."

I remand silent.

"Look, I'm not asking for some sort of password to your bank accounts or the damn Krabby Patty formula, I need to know where we are here. Where we can go from here." He demanded something, anything that would assist.

"I don't have much." I answered.

He looked at me shamefully as if there was information I was hiding. Sadly, I was being truthful. We were not running on much at the moment.

"We found pieces. Small trails that always seemed to lead us to a dead end. Pieces of clothing. Her scent. Things that always went cold in the end."

"Okay." He seemed to think. "I may have an answer to that but is that all you guys have?"

I looked away. It was hard not to catch a glimpse of the looks Zeiden and Aaron gave me.

"What is it?" Carl caught on to the suspicious looks.

I wasn't normally one to get nervous easily but this growing topic was definitely one I could not really explain with a straight mind.

"There's something else..."