Hunter

Chapter Seven

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me? Or at least go with your brother." Esmeralda asked for the tenth time.

"I'll be fine I'm positive." I chuckled at her worried expression. "You could always stay you know."

"I can't and you know it. I should have left yesterday after I got the news but I was worried about leaving you on your own." She sighed.

"Why are you going this time?"

"You've never wanted to know before." She said eyeing me.

"I can't be curious as to what's dragging my mother away from me?" I pouted. She swatted me away and rolled her eyes.

"There was an attack on the house in Alexandria." I felt an emotion for the first time in two years coming off Xerxes. It was fear.

"Attack?"

"Yes but no one got hurt. The grand coven is meeting to put up a barrier."

"You said the house was home to the most powerful beings in existence. Why would they need protection?" I asked.

"They don't but their prisoner does. We're putting it up for his protection and to keep him from escaping. Gives them one less thing to worry about. It'll mean they won't have to constantly watch him and can keep searching."

"I'll be okay on my own."

"I don't have a good feeling about this. All of us but you are being drawn away at the same time for a week. Something bad is going to happen I can feel it." She sighs.

"I can always stay back to keep an eye on your baby boy. What do you think Alfalfa? Just you and me." Ximena said waltzing down the stairs.

"You need to stop calling me that." I said glaring at her.

"No I need you with me to watch the prisoner while every witch and familiar puts up the barrier." She sighed.

Elijah and a couple other shifters were helping a nearby pack track down a rogue. He was leaving in an hour. Yau had gone to Japan for some ceremony for earning her second tail. It was apparently a big deal to have achieved that so young. Esmeralda and Ximena as you've already guessed are on their way to Alexandria.

I didn't want to remain on my own but hunting rogues was out because my wolf was still ignoring me and I was unwilling to shift. And Alexandria was definitely not an option. The girl, Mel, kept appearing in my dreams and worse off in what you could call visions. They were happening more often, some of them in the middle of the day while I'm doing something.

I didn't want to acknowledge what they actually were, memories. Because if I did I'd start actually remembering and would be thrust back into my old life. I was far from ready for that. I liked where I was just fine. I wasn't going to let my old life catch up with me.

"Just go. I'll be okay. And nothing bad is going to happen." I said trying to reassure her. "I'm a big boy."

"No you're not but I'll pretend you are. Don't burn down my town Xerxes."

"Yes ma'am." I chuckled.

"And go to the diner today. You'll be working their until we're back."

"I have a job you know." I called out as they walked out.

"See you Alfalfa." Ximena winked.

"Try not to kill anyone." I chuckled. She was definitely going to kill someone.

....................

She was in front of her vanity with a comb in hand looking frustrated with her hair already. She looked at me through the mirror as I walked in and turned to face me once the door was closed behind me.

"How'd you do that?" I asked immediately her eyes were on me. "I mean I know how but how?"

"I did a lot of reading today and I talked to your mom. I wasn't even sure I'd get it on the first try." She chuckled.

"I wanted to apologise for..."

"It's okay Xander. I forgive you."

"You do?"

"Shut up." Xerxes hissed in my head.

"Yes I do. But that doesn't mean I'm going to move back into your room or immediately start dating you or whatever."

"Look what you did idiot." He growled. He needed to work on his anger issues.

"Oh." I said.

"Let me finish. I don't like secrets but I get you had your own ridiculous reason for keeping them. Even if it was stupid. I'm not an idiot. The only way I can get rid of you is to reject you."

It was like I had been stabbed in the chest and the blade was twisted around when she said that. She must have seen my expression because she got up and walked to me holding my face in her hands.

"I'm not going to do that Xander. I would never think of rejecting you. But we need to build trust. So we'll be friends first and try and build our relationship." She whispered.

"I don't think I can be just friends with you." I told her letting out a breath of relief.

"It's what you wanted."

"I don't want that anymore. I just want you."

"You have me for eternity. Friends for now?"

"Friends for now." I whispered.

I sat upright in my seat and rubbed my eyes. Great another one. The knock that had woken me up sounded again. I groaned holding me head in my hands.

"Come in." I sighed. Sue one of the waitresses came in looking jumpy.

"Uhm Xerxes. There's someone looking for you out front." She said looking down.

"If its Mr B tell him he can grab his truck from the garage. Tom should still be working." I said.

"It's not James." She said playing with her fingers. "I think you should come see for yourself."

She rushed out before I could say anything and I let out another sigh. Great. I stood up from behind Esmeralda's desk and walked out into the kitchen. No one met my eyes as I walked through it to get into the diner. They were making me uneasy. I hated feeling uneasy.

When I got to the front I noticed the secretive glances people were throwing towards a table in the corner. A man with his back facing me sat ramrod straight. What looked like coffee in front of him. I caught Sue's eye and she nodded in his direction and I knew he was who was looking for me.

I sat down across from him and froze when I looked at his face. I was staring in a mirror. An identical replica of myself sat across from me. His face went from shocked to elated in just a few seconds. Then he frowned.

"Seeing how you haven't punched me in the face you don't remember me do you. I suppose I should introduce myself."

..................

I know it's short and I know that's the worst way to end the chapter but I did it anyway. There is no good outcome to this if we're being honest with ourselves. Love you guys and enjoy.