"God damnit." I groaned realizing I had forgotten my clicker for class. We were already leaving Milly's Café as I looked at my phone for the time.

7:36 A.M.

Fantastic, I was defiantly going to miss class if I did go back to the loft and grab it. I contemplated going without it but the result would be just about the same as I wouldn't be able to participate.

"I can't catch a break!" Grumbling in exasperation I turned around heading back to the loft. I felt Alex grab my elbow halting my change in direction.

"Wow there, it's almost eight your psychology class starts soon." He pointed out as if I didn't know my own schedule.

Facing him I came to see that he looked confused no doubt trying to figure out why I was now going back home. Naní stood just a foot or so behind him scanning over our surroundings.

I had become to like Alex and Naní a lot. They gave me space and they never failed to make a boring day not so boring. Hanging out with them everyday for school for the past week wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Alex was pretty much a goofball and Naní was the opposite, cool and collected and by the book. She was genuine though and I liked that, I just had to try harder to spark a conversation with her. Alex was easier, most of the time he'd spark his own conversation and talk to himself.

Naní took her position in looking over me serious however and sometimes too seriously. A guy on campus had come up to talk to me about some school work he had missed and Naní just about broke his wrist when he got too close. Too close to them I swear is anything closer than two feet from me. Alex hand to tell her to "chill out". Naní definitely wasn't as mellow as Alex, she was more threatening and more intimidating.

"I forgot my clicker on my desk for class. I need to go back and grab it." I explained pulling my arm from his hand.

"I'll grab it for you so you're not late." Alex offered I was about to open my mouth to decline but Naní beat me to it.

"Alex that's not a good idea. Alpha has strict rules for us to follow. We shouldn't be splitting up." She scathingly said lacking emotion in her mannerisms and face. Her arms were crossed and her eyes focused on Alex but it was clear that she was still taking in the surroundings, absorbing everything like a sponge. She was on high alert. She always was.

Alex and Caleb on separate occasions reminded me that she was a lieutenant for them whenever I'd point out how by the book she was. She took her role seriously and I appreciated that seeing as I've felt the safest since she started watching over me.

"It's not that far away Naní, relax." There was an authoritarian tone that wasn't meant for retaliation or questioning. Naní looked like she wanted to voice her concerns further but dropped her gaze from his after a few seconds. They looked as if they were conversing through their connecting gazes. Alex extended his hand to me and I dropped my lanyard in his. "Take Evelyn to class a while I'll meet you both there before it starts."

He left no room to say much else as he quickly turned away from us and headed to my loft. I glanced and Naní who was radiating frustration as she glared daggers at Alex's back.

Clearing my throat she finally looked over at me. I made a weak smile in hopes it would decrease her tension with Alex. It hadn't.

"Let's go." She gritted through clenched teeth, her brown eyes flashing gold for a split second. Dropped her hands to her side she started to walk in the direction of campus. I instantly wanted Alex back to replace this uptight woman.

A few minutes past and we were only about five blocks away from campus. Standing at a light waiting for the crosswalk sign to light up I brought it upon myself to talk to her. The silence was bothering me. It wasn't just the silence that bothered me it was also the fact that her face looked so familiar but I couldn't put my finger to it.

"So... Naní where have I seen you before?" She looked confused for a moment not realizing I was the one talking. Noticing it was me she gazed down at my five-foot-four figure. Did I mention she was nearly six foot? All these werewolves seemed like giants.

Now to come to think of it Taylor, was five nine. Was that a trait? Height and ripped muscles?

"I helped you find Caleb at the club." She stated not looking over at me at all. Naní seemed to not care for talking after the whole think with Alex, but I continued on now more interested than before.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Wait did you know Caleb was my..." I didn't want to say the word still feeling weird about the whole concept.

"No," She answered as the sign lit up and we began to cross the street. "There's no way for werewolves to know who's mate is who's until they are marked. For you it's different your human." I thought back to what Taylor had told me. I was an exception it seemed.

"Oh... how did you know those people were coming after me in the club?" I questioned still trying to figure out what exactly happened that night. It was practically a blur but the men with guns searching for me was ingrained in my mind forever.

"I could hear them coming and you looked like you were already running from something when you showed up. Why were you running from them?" Her question caught me off guard as I had nothing to do with those men. I had never seen them in my life.

"I never met them before I wasn't running from them. I was running from someone... else." Admitting this to her made me think vividly back to the near-death experience I had that night with Roy. I shivered thinking about it again. Naní noticed stopping and grabbing my upper arm to stop me as well.

"Who?" When I made no attempt in answering her question she crossed her arms. "We should know these kinds of things. It'll better help us protect you."

Why did I say anything at all? I've been trying to keep Roy out of the picture and the information about it in the dark. It was becoming harder and harder to do so with so many people asking me questions and I just keep slipping up.

"If you don't want to tell me then at least tell Alpha Caleb." When she spoke to me this time she sounded persistent as well as empathetic.

Empathy was something I didn't think she was capable of.

"Do you know who those men were?" I wondered realizing she must have known if she could have heard them coming in and had time to warn me.

"Hunters." She scoffed. Failing to conceal my perplexed face Naní continued on. "They're humans that hunt down supernaturals that go against counsel law. The night I saw you in the club I thought you'd done something but when I sniffed you out I realized you were human. It didn't make sense why they were after you."

"I-I don't know either. I never knew about..." I gestured to Naní next to me, implying this new side of the world. "-any of this."

Naní simply hummed in reply thinking over possibilities.

We started walking again this time I chose to keep my mouth shut. I got caught up last time in questions I wasn't trying to again.

Soon we were at the psychology building but there was no sign of Alex and it was only a matter of minutes before he lecture commenced. Naní noticed my impatience as I shifted from one leg to the other.

"This isn't like him." She told me but the way she was staring off into the distance told me how uncomfortable she was with him running late.

"He could have just got caught up with the lights. It happens to me all the time." I said trying to lighten the mood. If she was becoming nervous I was going to, to and I didn't feel like having another emotional rollercoaster. Everything had calmed down the past week or so and I wanted it to remain that way.

"No Alex could easily-"

"Easily what? Run across the street anyways and be agile enough to not get hit?" A males voice was heard from behind us. I jumped at the voice looking over to see Alex extending his hand to me that held my keys and clicker. He was holding a cocky smile as he looked at Naní. "You have no faith in me Naní."

She rolled her eyes at his mischievous tactics. Before she could say anything, which it looked like she wanted to give him a piece of her mind, I took the lanyard and clicker from Alex.

"Thank you!"

He nodded his head, keeping his green eyes on Naní, while I hastily made my way to class. I desperately wanted to remove myself from their intense staring contested. Though they were staring at each other it was more than that. I've seen that look before, like they were speaking an unspoken language. Their eyes coated in a thin foggy like film. It was like that on Caleb's eyes back at the estate.

Shaking my head ridding myself of these baffling thoughts I trained my attention to the professor starting a new lecture, as I made my way to the middle of the auditorium to find a seat.

As class went on I couldn't help but think about Caleb. My mind wandered on its own regardless of how many times I tried to focus it on the notes I was taking. I wondered what he was doing, where he was, what he was wearing. I couldn't help it the man had good taste in the clothes he wore. Especially after that day he picked me up from class.

My mouth salivated at the thought. Jesus, I need to stop that, thinking about him this much can't be healthy.

As the professor handed out our finals study guide packets I slipped my phone out of my backpack.

Unlocking the phone I pressed the last message I sent to him over three days ago. I still hadn't found a way to really hold a conversation or even start one. I found myself day after day picking up my phone to text him but I'd overthink it all and tuck my phone away. I hate myself for having possibly the lowed self esteem and lowest confidence of any human being. Makes sense why I had settled for Roy.

I cringed as his face morphed in my head. With everything going on I had practically forgotten about him until today. Talking to Naní made all of those terrible memories float to the surface. I regretted even asking questions earlier now I realize why I lacked confidence, it seemed to protect me from unwanted conversations such as those.

Staring at my phone it buzzed my heart did a flip thinking about Caleb, but I instantly felt like I was smacked in the chest by a two by four. It wasn't Caleb's name that popped up on my phone, no it was Roy's. I swear I had jinxed myself.

An immediate sense of dread and fear blanketed over me making my lungs weigh down with the suffocating pressure building up in my chest. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I tried to control my now shaking hands. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the name as the weight continued to escalate the pressure in my chest. My mind was frozen unable to comprehend anything else as every single lasting memory of that vile man played out in my head.

"Evelyn." I heard a voice in the distance of my mind. "Evelyn."

There was a tap on my shoulder making my flinch back into my seat. My professor was standing next to me with a concerned face watching me recoil away from their touch. She held the study guide in her hand looking confused and worried. She must have been standing there for sometime as I spaced out, frozen in fear.

Raising a shaking hand I timidly grabbed the packet from her, desperate to leave the confines of the room. With a forced meek smile I offered her she finally stepped away from me. I couldn't even concentrate on the papers in front of me. All my mind was racing about was him. That disgusting, woman beating, sexual predator.

Thinking about the way he used me made bile rise impossibly high in my throat begging me to spill out the contains of my breakfast. I forced myself to swallow, fighting off the strong urge to hurl everything.

Nani's voice appeared in my head as I thought back to her words. Her painfully truthful words. I should tell them at least Caleb. But what would he do? What could he do? Better yet, did I want to know what he'd actually do with that information? I didn't want someone to be my savior.

The endless amount of questions plus the endless amounts of no answers mangled together in my ever piling mess of thoughts, overwhelmed my brain. I was beginning to think I would fall apart any second now.

Taking a deep breath I tapped on the message finally bringing myself to read it. My heart sank even lower.

"I'm sorry about the other night. I want to make it up to you I'll be waiting in the lobby." I had to bit back a chocking sob that threaten to escape my mouth. Bitting my lip I threw my belongings in my book bag not caring if I crumbled the papers as I went.

I couldn't walk out to the lobby he'd be waiting there. Waiting for me. My throat grew sore as I continued to hold back my tears and my sobs. I had already embarrassed myself in front of everyone I didn't need to do it twice in one day, nor did I want anyone to see my apprehension and question me.

I stood up quickly grabbing my phone and my back pack, running to the bottom of the auditorium. The door at the bottom led out to a little hallway. The biology and chemistry labs were back there. It was the only other way out of here without going to the lobby.

Bursting through the doorway I heard my professor call after me but I ignored it forcing myself to jog down the hallway. I should call Alex and tell him I've left and to meet me somewhere else. How could I say that with out them wondering and worrying? I couldn't.

Trying to figure out what to do next I slipped inside the females bathroom pushing the stale door open. I nearly fell with the force I used to close and lock the door.

Taking deep breathes I tried to calm my pounding heart and my suffocating lungs.

He was here. He was here for me!

Tears finally fell and I was no longer able to fight them back. With my vision blurry and my hands still shaking I unlocked my phone taping Alex's name. I sniffled trying to compose myself as I called him. It took only a single rings for him to pick up.

"Where are you?" He asked before I could even say a word. "Naní can't see you from the door." Geez she took her job seriously. Alex would only sit there and watch the door not look through the window the whole time. I could care less though right now as I sniffled again trying to find the words to say.

"What's wrong Eve?" I could hear the rising panic as he asked me. "We need to know where you are. We can't help you if-"

"I'm in-" My voice broke completely and an echoing sob bounced off the bathroom walls. I cringed at the sound of my own voice. I was weak. I needed to pull myself together but I couldn't. I physically and mentally couldn't.

"Eve where are you?!" This time Alex sounded borderline angry but it wasn't directed at me. I couldn't tell what had put him over the edge.

There was a noise of shuffling and I could have sworn I heard Alex arguing but suddenly it was all forgotten as another voice spoke on the phone.

"Evelyn, listen to my voice. We aren't going to let anyone hurt you I need you to tell me where you are. We can't help you if you don't tell us." Her voice was calming and soothing the opposite of everything Alex was.

A hiccup of a cry came out as I tried to tell her. My mind was ready to tell her and spill ever single detail about that predator but my body was on a different page. With my flight or fight response on another level all I wanted to do was find a dark hole to crawl in and hide away.

"He-he" I stuttered between shallow breathes.

"Is it the same person you ran from?" I squeezed my eyes shut as I held onto the stale door for support. My legs felt like jello and my vision was fading to sprinkles of dots and darkness. Focus Eve. Think about the calming beach, or think about Bastet your lovable friend. Nothing worked.

"Please d-don't let him h-hurt me." The helplessness in my voice made Naní growl ever so faintly I wasn't sure if I had even heard it correctly.

"No ones going to hurt you. Trust me. Please Evelyn... tell me where you are." The plea in her voice made me realize how desperate they were to find me. I could only imagine Alex now pulling his blonde hair stressing out.

Concentrating my growing harsh breathing I answered. "T-the bathroom. T-the ones by t-the labs."

"Okay, good Evelyn." I could hear them moving as she continued to talk to me on the phone. "Talk to me don't hang up the phone."

"I-I don't know what t-to talk about." I sniffled another agonizing sob coming out.

"Anything, let me help you get your mind off this man. He isn't worth the energy it is to think about him." Naní meant well but I couldn't help overthinking it all.

Here I was cowering in a bathroom from my ex utterly paralyzed. The only other think that flooded my mind was the fact that I wanted Caleb. I wanted to see him. I wanted to feel that security I always felt when I was around him. I wanted to feel okay again.

"Naní... I wanna go home. I want Caleb." Admitting what I truly wanted out loud sounded outrageous to my ears but it was the truth. I did want him. I just never thought I'd say it out loud.

Another cry left my lips and I was sure I was on the verge of collapsing.

"Shhh relax, I'm right outside the bathroom." At that she hung up and I heard the bathroom door open and close. "Evelyn you can come out now. It's just me. Alex is out in the hallway." Her reassurance ushered me to open the stale door. Opening my eyes I fumbled with the latch swinging the door open once it was unlocked.

Naní stood there studying every inch of me looking over my wrecked and shattered body. I was a mess of tears, pain and anxiety. Her sorrowful face showed how distraught she was to see me in this weaken state. She hugged me to her chest when I finally could build up the strength to walk. I was pretty sure she knew I could barely keep myself up on my own.

"I need to get out of here Naní." My voice was muffled by her shoulder, my face pressed into her body.

"We're gonna take you home. Shhh, Alex is calling Caleb now." She pulled me back to look at her. "Listen keep your head low and your hood up." She pulled my hood over my head pulling the strings a little to better conceal my face. Resting her arm around my shoulders we exited the bathroom.

"Caleb was on his way to the estate. He's turning around now. He won't be at the apartment for another two, maybe three hours." Alex said more to Naní than I. Honestly, I was still zoned out in my own misery to even comprehend what he was saying. "Did you hear that Eve?" Alex asked upset at my sudden frantic episode. If only he knew. If only they knew. But I wouldn't tell. Why would I?

I could only muster up a nod to acknowledge his question.

He looked me up and down but didn't press anymore questions. "Okay, let's head back-"

"Eve?"

My body went ridged. It was him. Naní blocked my view from him being sure to put her body between us. If that wasn't enough of a barrier already Alex stepped in front of Naní adding to it.

"Alex?" My heart sank. "What are you guys doing with my girlfriend?" He knew them? These people, these werewolves knew him!? Did they know what he did to me? What he would do when he was capable of when he got angry? I gulped and clutched Naní's arm.