Hunter

Chapter Twenty Three

Melaine

The last thing I was expecting when I woke up on Friday morning was Ximena to be standing in my living room flirting with Titus. The sight of her trailing her hand across his chest did something funny to my stomach. I swallowed down the surge of possessiveness that came out of nowhere and slowly made my way downstairs. 

His eyes found mine quickly and the uncomfortable look in his eyes shifted into something I couldn't place before he walked away completely. 

"Morning birdie." Kenji called from his position by the dining room table. His eyes not lifting from what looked like a map. 

"Hey. What's going on?" I asked.

"I'm here to help you guys catch Alfie." Ximena said. Kenji shot her a look and she rolled her eyes. 

"Who Carlton? How sure are we we can trust her?"  

"I never really trusted him since he showed up. There's always been something off about him. I've caught him lying about his past a bunch of times. But everyone back home is too in love with him to say or do anything." 

"I talked to her. She's good." Kenji said "Grab some food from the kitchen then come listen to our plan." 

I walked into the kitchen like he distracted and found Kenji already making a plate. He looked up and handed me my food before I could say anything. 

"Thanks." I whispered. He shrugged like it was nothing and started walking out of the room. I quietly followed behind him.

"Great. So Ximena tell us what you found out."

"Our little town has a shield around it. Unless accompanied by a supernatural, humans can't enter it or find it. It's a little more welcoming than the one around most camps that only allow who the alpha's or leaders say can go through." She started.

"Like Logan's camps." Lucian said. 

"I always questioned why we didn't make it that way when I first showed up and Esmeralda just said everyone's welcome. And if they're trouble she could handle them." Ximena continued. "The position of the diner makes it that it's the first place they walk into. From there she tests them. A truth serum potion in the food and holy water in the water. Silver or iron are always on the ready in case of anything."

"That's a smart way of doing it. But what if the serum doesn't work?"

"It always does. On any creature. When Carlton showed up two years ago three things happened. The truth serum didn't work, the holy water didn't burn him and neither did the silver."

"That should be impossible. Carlton's an ordinary beta." I said.

 "Even with an alpha the silver would burn him. Or if he had any of Alistair's demon blood the holy water would have warranted some reaction."

The only wolf I knew that was immune to silver was Xander. I shook my head at that thought. Even Xander would have reacted to two of the three tests. What had Alistair done to Carlton?

"My mother brought him home. He was a little off. Had a couple violent outbursts in that first week. For two years he refused to step foot put of town. He wouldn't go anywhere. But he also didn't shift for two years. Not even on full moon nights which is like a mandatory shifting day." Ximena said. I sat down and started at her.

"That's impossible." Adonis frowned.

"I know. I found it weird. I brought it up to my mother once but she denied it. He claimed amnesia. And she claimed the memory loss probably locked his wolf up somewhere tight. And I was starting to believe her."