Hunted

Chapter 40: Another Sense

Kora's POV:

All I could say, was Blackstone Pack knew how to party. I probably should've been more careful with how much alcohol I consumed given all that was going on, but I wasn't. All my fear, anger and hurt started to drown with the alcohol and I stupidly took it too far, so far that I woke up and already felt the headache. I was scared to open my eyes, scared of how much worse I would feel.

Well, that's what I get for emotional binge-drinking.

I had the strangest dream before I woke up. I was in a field and there were flowers floating around me, grass curling around me like it was holding onto me. I was curious where the dream was headed but a thump and someone muttering a curse woke me up. I yawned and rubbed my eyes, slowly opening them as I sat up. Except then I wondered if I was still dreaming because the furniture was floating. Floating.

It all dropped to the ground and I jumped. "What the hell was that?" I squeaked. "Who did that?"

I looked around the room and found five pairs of eyes staring at me with wide eyes. I frowned, wrapping my arms around myself as Addie, Xander, Kaden, Tess and a woman I didn't know all stared. Why were they staring at me like that? My eyes landed on Addie, my voice not coming out strong like I hoped because damn, they were all staring at me so intensely.

"Addie?" I said. "What's going on?"

She didn't respond right away. She just blinked a couple times and shook her head. "Fuck," she sighed, bringing her fingers to her temples. "Uh..." she looked over at me and chewed on her lip, like she didn't know what to say. My eyes darted to the new girl I didn't know and she smiled lightly.

"Hi," she waved. "I'm Cassie. Resident witch."

"Oh," I said, unable to stop the blush because they were all still staring. "Um... Did you do that?" I asked, hoping we could focus the attention literally anywhere but on me and my probable bedhead.

"I didn't," she said, tilting her head to the side, her eyes darting over to Addie.

"You know what?" Addie said, clapping her hands together. "I think everyone's a little out of it, right?" She said, a little louder, catching everyone else's attention. Finally. Finally they stopped staring. "Kora, why don't you and I have some breakfast, huh?" She said, gesturing to the kitchen. "Let's start nursing this hangover."

This was weird. They all stopped actively staring but were shooting me strange glances. The comfort I felt here before was staring to vanish because they were all acting so weird. I couldn't fathom why they would be acting differently until I remember Xander was with Rykan last night. Xander didn't come home until after I'd passed out, maybe Rykan said something to him.

"Did um..." I started as I stood, looking over at Xander. "Did you talk to him?"

"I did," he nodded. "He's glad you're safe, he says he understands why you need space and to take as much time as you need but asked me to tell you that his phone will be on at full volume twenty-four seven until you're ready to talk to him."

"Oh..." I nodded slowly. That was good. I wasn't sure he'd actually give me my space. "And... Everything's okay between you two?"

"We cleared it up," Xander nodded.

"Did anything else happen?" I asked. Like something that may lead to you all staring at me like I have six heads.

"Nope," Xander said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I think we should have breakfast," Addie said. "And maybe Cass could join us," she added, looking over at Cassie. "And Xander."

Cassie nodded and smiled. "Kaden makes killer banana pancakes," she said. "Assuming he's not too hungover to do it."