Purr, Kitten [PUBLISHED - Sample Only]

Secret Messenger

I leaned my back against the tree bark and looked down at where I could see the pack. The small cottages surrounding the main house. Something kept me here. The farther I tried to go, the more it physically and mentally hurt for me.

And I didn't want to leave. But I was afraid of going back. Afraid of returning to Liam, because I didn't know what his reaction would be. And maybe, there'd be no reaction after all. Maybe he has moved on, entertaining himself with new girls now and enjoying their undivided attention.

I didn't want to think about that, it hurt me. I didn't want to think that he had moved on. Can you move on from your mate like in a normal relationship? There's also one more reason that I've been hanging around this pack.

And that reason is Jon.

I was concerned for him. At first, I saw him, guarding where usual, but then Jaq came and took him away and I haven't seen him since.

Jon reminded dearly of my brother. They had the same light brown hair and dark brown eyes. I had only a much darker shade of brown on both, but that's how my brother's had always been. What intrigues me even more about him, is his name.

My older brother was 17 at the time we were attacked and his name was Tom. My other brother was 15 years old at that time and his name was Jonathan. I guess there was a part of me that hoped that Jon, was my brother. He told me about his sister being dead. Did he mean me?

I sighed and closed my eyes. I was tired. In the last five days, all the rest I have had was a few hours every day. It obviously wasn't enough.

I heard footsteps, the leaves crunching beneath someone's feet. My eyes snapped open and I pulled myself near the tree bark.

"He's going out of his mind. Depressed, he is," the person spoke and I leaned forward to see Grace walking. She stopped under the tree I was at and I bit my tounge. I had to leave, but I couldn't.

Liam is hurting? My mate whined in my head.

I stepped out of the shadow and sat back down on the tree branch. Grace's eyes fixed on me.

"I'm not gonna raise an alarm. Ivy and I are the only ones who have seen you. We're hoping you'll do the wise thing."

"And what's that?" I asked weakly. I haven't used my voice almost a whole weak and just then I realized how tired my voice really was.

"Stop putting your own life and his in danger and come back on your own. You have no idea how much of an impact you really have on Liam," Grace spoke. "And I meant it, when we first met, that you reminded me of myself. I was also brought here as a prisoner and I tried to run away, countless of times. Usually, Alexander would catch up to me and take me back, but on the last time, I came back of my own. Then he marked me and I haven't left ever since."

I listened to her little story, deep in thought. So she was like me. I thought Ivy had said they fell in love instantly. Well I guess Grace has sugar-coated that story a little bit then.

"I'm afraid, Grace," I finally admitted.

She tilted her head to the side and studied me, before she understood. "He won't punish you, Kathryn. He just wants you back."

"Do you know what he did to me?" I asked weakly. She shook her head quietly.

"But I'll gladly listen to it when you come back, Kathryn. Someone is coming," she said quickly and then walked away. I looked after her, before I heard someone coming as well and I swung myself higher towards the top of tree and hid behind the leaves.

What did she mean by putting my own life and his in danger?

I sighed and sat of the tree. I needed a few hours of rest again. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and settling into a restless nap.

**

Ivy's POV

"How did it go?" I asked, biting my lower lip nervously. Mom sighed and shook her head.

"I found her alright, but I didn't get an answer from her. I did try," mom explained and I nodded. Mom and I had made a plan to go secretly talk to Kathryn and try to convince her to come back on her own. Coming back herself is much better than dragging her back, making her feel like a prisoner.

"I feel like we should tell Liam. The guilt is eating me inside," I spoke and let out a long kept breath. I hated seeing Liam how he was. Lately, mom, dad and I have been doing his job, because he is just so out of it. I can't stand it.

"No, Ivy. I know, it hurts me too to see him like that, but Kathryn has to come back herself. It's already wrong for me and you to interfere with this, when it clearly has something to do with the two of them," mom answered and tapped her fingernail against the table impatiently. "I just wish Kathryn would hurry up, before sundown."