Chp 1 Pt. 5 Summer Is Ending

Maliyah

Uncle Mark told mom and dad what happened. They doubled patrols and I now have body guards again. I thought that was long over and the feeling I am being watched is giving me flash backs to the war. I wake up screaming, sweat pouring down my forehead.

“Shhh…it’s okay Maliyah. I’m here.”

I look over and laying beside me is Aspen. I move closer and he wraps his arms around me. I can feel my body shutter as I try to calm down.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were still having nightmares.”

“I didn’t want to worry anyone,” I reply through tears.

“I heard what happened. I talked to your parents and you will have to two elf guards with you at all times.”

“What?”

“I can’t risk your safety if you truly are being followed.”

“I don’t want to spend my senior year having body guards follow me everywhere.”

“Don’t worry. They are highly skilled warriors and agreed to enroll in your school to blend in. You won’t even realize you have body guards.”

I sigh and cave to Aspen’s request. I am just happy he is here as I didn’t think I’d get to see him so soon.

“I’ll stay with you tonight. Get some sleep.”

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

“Sorry Maliyah. I have early meetings back home, but I’ll stay for as long as I can.”

I cuddle up next to him and let his heartbeat lull me back to sleep.

Sure enough, the next morning Aspen is no where to be found. I know he told me he wouldn’t be here when I woke up, but I was still hoping he would.

“Wake up sleepy head,” sings Olivia, my best friend and also a witch.

“How are you so chipper in the morning?”

“Well one of us has to be. Now come on, we have school shopping to do. Oliver is downstairs waiting for us.”

“Okay, okay.”

I head to my closet and put on some shorts and a tank top before sliding into some sandals. I give my siblings a kiss on top of their heads as I grab an apple. I hug my parents and rush out the door before they can question me about yesterday.

‘We will talk about yesterday later. Ren and Jasmine will be wandering the mall,’ says dad through the mind link.

I don’t reply and hop in my mom’s Jeep with Olivia and Oliver and head to the mall.

“Spill, something has happened. You keep scanning the forest and I noticed the Cadillac following us,” says Olivia.

She is too observant sometimes.

“I thought I sensed someone watching me yesterday. Uncle Mark found a wolf print, but no trail as if he appeared and disappeared in thin air.”

“You think it’s a hybrid looking for sanctuary? Lots of shifters were displaced and some went into hiding after what happened,” says Oliver.

“Maybe, I am not sure. All I know is now I have elf body guards that will follow me until further notice.”

“Well, that is not going to stop us from having the best senior year ever,” says Olivia. She is such an optimist.

We head into the mall, stopping at several stores. True to his word, I don’t ever see Ren or Jasmine following us though I can sense they are nearby. Though I hate having to be followed, I love how protective Aspen is.

“Girl please tell me you see that fine specimen sitting over there,” says Olivia.

I glance up to see the guy she is talking about. He is about six foot with well defined muscles.

“I am taken, but he’s all yours.”

“Not if I claim him first,” says Oliver, looking at the guy up and down.

“I saw him first little brother.”

“By one minute Olivia.”

I laugh at the twins as I go to pay for the clothes I have picked out.

“Let’s get some lunch before we grab the rest of the school supplies we need,” I say, tugging the twins out the door.

We head to the food court and I grab some teriyaki chicken. The twins are still bickering over the guy we saw back at the clothing store as we sit and dig into our lunch. I again get that feeling of being watched. I subtly scan the food court and sniff the air for anything out of the ordinary.

‘What’s wrong Maliyah.’

I slightly jump at the voice inside my head. I didn’t realize these elves were gifted the ability to mind link.

‘Someone is here.’

I notice the two elves get up from where they are sitting and begin to walk around the food court. I love Olivia and Oliver but sometimes they do not pay attention.

‘Guys,’ I mind link.

They look at me confused.

‘Why are you mind linking?’

‘Where being watched.’

They both scan the food court and the next thing I know, Oliver disappears. Olivia and I stay where we are at and continue eating our lunch as if nothing is wrong. When Oliver returns we both gasp at the sight of him. He has a good gash on his arm that he is trying to cover so the humans don’t notice anything.

‘Where teleporting back to the pack house,’ I mind link Ren and Jasmine. We grab our stuff and immediately appear in my living room.

“Mom! Dad!”

They immediately rush to the living room and I can tell mom is mind linking someone. Less than ten seconds have gone by as Dimitri appears.

“What happened,” asks mom as Dimitri looks over Oliver’s injuries.

“I had that feeling we were being followed again. Next thing we knew, Oliver disappeared on us and came back bleeding.”

“It’s definitely a hybrid sir. I saw the black wolf use magic,” says Oliver as Dimitri uses magic to heal his arm.

“Black wolf,” asks mom with a worried tone.

“Yes, it was black. Is that important,” asks Oliver.

Mom and dad look at each other and don’t answer Oliver’s question.

“Mom, why is the wolf being black important?”

“It’s nothing.”

“I’ll have wolves try and catch this wolf’s scent to track him next time. You kids get some rest,” says dad as he, mom and Dimitri head for dad’s office.

I hate that they keep me in the dark. I know I lost some of my memory after the war and I never recovered it, but that doesn’t mean they should keep me out of things I should know. I don’t even remember what my sperm donor, Enzo, looks like which doesn’t bother me one bit.

“How about a sleep over guys,” I offer.

“Sounds like a great idea.”

I am glad they agree to stay. I don’t feel like being alone tonight and I am beyond frustrated with my parents at the moment. This is going to be a very long and interesting year.