The Hybrid Series Book 2

MAE

I’m seated at the table with the rest of the palace heads and their families. The conversation is slow, sometimes even painfully so.

I lean back and watch, as I usually do in the evenings. Hunter is chatting with Ali and Anya, the only girls—besides me—who don’t swoon over him.

I think he’s trying to figure out which packs they’ll be visiting on their love tour, as I’ve decided to call it.

From what I can gather, they plan to visit their uncle, Max’s, pack—the Dark Wood Pack.

Our mom used to be part of that pack when she was younger; I think it’s the pack where she met our dad all those years ago.

Hunter seems interested in their new training routine.

Being one of the most advanced packs in combat, they mostly earn their keep by providing warriors to oversee large pack gatherings, sometimes even wars—but only if the cause is just.

Max thoroughly vets potential clients, making sure his warriors are only used for noble causes, always ensuring he’s on the right side of history.

Ozzy seems to be part of the conversation; but I see through his act. He’s actually subtly collecting meats, only to create hidden portals.

One on top of the table that leads to the demon realm and another below the table, where his hounds eagerly wait for the meat to come out of the demon realm—back into our reality.

He does this very discreetly, never breaking character or losing eye contact with the group. He really does love those stinky hounds!

They aren’t the most attractive creatures; their burnt fur that smells of ash is clumped and matted.

Their eyes glow a creepy red, which seem as though they can see right through you and straight into your very soul.

Dinah and Idris are quietly discussing the latest lead that went cold with serious expressions.

I think they’re the only people in the palace who understand what I’m going through.

Dinah isn’t the same free-spirited woman she used to be, even though she still looks my age—thanks to becoming a lycan.

She doesn’t have the same spark I remember her once having… I guess some might say the same about me too.

Every now and then, I’ll see her break free and laugh about something, but then, she shuts down again. It’s like all her energy and focus go into finding Rex.

Then again…if I had my wolf to help, I would likely also be conducting my own investigation.

But without my wolf, I have this constant feeling of exhaustion.

It’s kind of like when you have flu-like symptoms and your whole body aches, right through your muscles and bones, aching right down to your very core.

It physically hurts me just to move. Okay, not excruciating pain, but it still hurts, every single day.

Idris is very good at hiding his emotions. He’s like a fun uncle 90 percent of the time, but usually, nearer to the evening, you’ll see the cracks.

You can see the pain that lingers in his eyes. It’s not easy for Dinah and Idris. Rex is their only child.

If we don’t find Rex alive, they’ll live an eternity never being able to have a child of their own to hold or love again.

Turning my attention to my parents, I listen to their conversation with Gamma Jude, Maria, Amber, and Eddie. Something Maria says causes Amber to throw in one of her signature eye rolls.

I’ve come to learn the meaning behind these eye rolls, and there are many!

They could be a playful eye roll, a “What the hell are you talking about?” eye roll, a “Leave me alone” eye roll, or even a “Silly old me” eye roll.

However, this one, this one looks like an “I don’t agree” eye roll. Maria mentions something about a ball.

What ball?

“Are we having a ball?” I ask, directing my question to my parents.

My mom sighs. “We will be holding the annual mate ball this year,” she says while looking at me apologetically.

I don’t understand why she’s looking at me like that. Pfft. It’s as if the subject of mates is a touchy subject for me…

Okay, maybe it is, but I love love. Everyone should have the chance to find their mate.

“How lovely. When will it be?” I ask, deadpan. I can rarely ever find the energy to put more emotion into my tone.

“In three days,” Mom responds.

“It’s going to be wonderful!” Maria chimes in.

“All those pretty dresses, all of the unmated werewolves, hoping to find their mate. There may even be the chance to find a chosen mate,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows at me and giving a not-so-subtle look in Hector’s direction.

Ugh! As if I want a chosen mate. What’s wrong with being a spinster princess!?

Maria is a lovely lady. She and Gamma Jude have always been kind to me, but sometimes…just sometimes, I wish she would mind her own business, especially when it comes to mates.

Hector is a nice, handsome guy with his sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes…but I don’t want him. I don’t want anyone else.

I want someone who makes me feel alive like Rex did. Hector doesn’t do that for me. I know this because I may have…had a fling with him…and a couple of others.

Don’t judge me! I was going through a rough time; things were spiraling out of control. It was my way of trying to feel something other than miserable.

Clearly, it didn’t work. I haven’t been near another male since.

Hector looks at me and gives me a small smile; I look down at my plate as if it’s suddenly the most interesting thing on the planet.

I think I hurt him when I stopped seeing him. He’s not the kind of wolf who just sleeps around. I feel bad for using him like that.

It’s just another thing to add to my misery. I should’ve known better than to use a nice guy like Hector like that.

My mom immediately cuts in, coming to my rescue.

“There’s no reason for us to stress about Mae finding a mate, or even deciding to have one. If she finds someone she loves, I’ll be thrilled for her.

“And if she decides not to, I’ll be just as happy and support her completely.”

I glance up at my mom and offer her a rare smile.

It’s not a full-on, teeth-showing grin, just a small curve of my lips. But it seems to be enough for my mom. She grins back at me, looking like she’s mentally patting herself on the back for being such a great mom.

My parents have always been there for me; they’re always ready to support me when I need them.

Sure, they’ve questioned some of my choices and we’ve had our disagreements, but we always come back together, stronger than before.

My dad seems to have been holding his breath; he visibly relaxes into his chair, letting out a sigh of relief.

The topic of me finding a mate is always a sensitive one for him. I think the only person he was ready to see me leave with was Rex; anyone else would have to face the king’s scrutiny.

The rest of the evening passes smoothly. Out of respect, the king and queen must leave the table first, even during a family meal.

Luckily for me, today is Sunday; on Sundays we run as a pack, which means dinner ends earlier than usual.

The pack runs are a big deal, not just for the pack to feel the presence of their leader, but also for another reason.

When orphaned pups come to us, it’s a chance for us to help them find a new family. Wolves will imprint on a vulnerable pup.

It’s like they can sense their similarities—like soulmates, their souls calling out to each other. Thankfully, we don’t get many orphans.

Right now, we only have two. We’re hoping they’ll find their forever homes tonight.

I head outside to the palace gardens where the rest of the pack is already gathered. There’s a beautiful route my dad likes to take.

It winds through the woods, open fields, streams, and even up a small waterfall. It was my favorite route to run with Sierra.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze. I look up to see my dad’s silver eyes, so similar to my own, looking back at me as he smiles warmly.

“Are you going to ride Blade tonight?” he asks, a hopeful smile on his face.

I shake my head. “Not tonight, Dad. I’m a bit worn out.”

He nods, understanding. “If you change your mind, come find me,” he says, giving me a quick hug before heading to his place at the front of the gathered pack.

I used to ride Blade during the pack runs. Dad hoped it would help bring my wolf out of hiding.

He also didn’t want me to feel left out. I loved running with them, even if it was just on the back of my dad’s wolf.

Eventually, I stopped going on the runs.

Not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it was a constant reminder of how useless I am as a wolf. So useless that I have to be carried by my dad, so I stopped going.

I can’t feel sad about losing my wolf if I avoid as many wolf-related activities as possible, right?

Dad walks away to join my mom. I watch them embrace. They share a smile that’s only for each other.

I want what they have. They fit together perfectly; they’re like two pieces of a puzzle that complete each other.

Their love is so palpable as they gaze into each other’s eyes. It’s almost enough to make even me feel warm and fuzzy inside…almost.

Pulling my gaze away from my parents, I look for the women who run the pack orphanage. I notice that there’s only one orphan left—the other must’ve already found their forever home.

I walk over to the little girl with two blond pigtails; she’s only about six years old. I kneel down to her level.

“Hi, sweetie, how are you today?” I ask.

“Oh, hello... I’m okay,” she replies shyly, swaying slightly.

“Are-are you the princess?” she asks, her eyes wide with awe.

“I am.” I smile at her.

“Wow! That’s so cool! All of my friends will be so jealous!” she exclaims.

I lean in as if I’m sharing a secret, my voice full of mischief. “Do you want to make them even more jealous?”

She nods eagerly. “Yeah!”

“Okay, come on then,” I say, crouching down and tapping my shoulders. She looks at me, her head tilted in confusion.

“Hop on! Not just anyone gets a shoulder ride from the princess!” I say playfully.

At that, I have to cover my ears because her squeals of excitement are almost deafening.

When the squeals finally subside, I look at the little girl who’s jumping up and down with pure joy. I crouch down again so she can climb on.

“This is so exciting! If my friends see me, they’re going to be so jealous they’ll puke!” she squeals.

“Puke?” I ask, laughing.

“PUKE,” she emphasizes.

“What’s your name, little one?” I ask.

“I’m Lia.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Lia. I’m Mae. Should we go show you off so all your friends can see you?” I suggest, a mischievous grin on my face.

“Yes yes yes yes yes!” she shrieks.

I laugh as I start weaving through the crowd, making sure to draw as much attention as possible.

You see, my main goal isn’t to make little Lia’s friends jealous. No, I’m actually trying to attract the attention of the rest of the pack, hoping it’ll help find her a forever home.

I zigzag through the crowd, ignoring the ache in my muscles—being as loud and silly as I can.

This gets Lia laughing—perfect! Her delightful giggles should attract more pack members.

In no time at all, a bonded pair in their thirties appear before me. I can see it in their eyes—they’ve imprinted.

I lower Lia from my shoulders, cradling her at my hip. Lia gazes at the couple, a spark of recognition in her eyes.

Even though she’s too young to have a wolf, she’ll sense the new bond forming. She’ll understand that they’re here to protect her, to offer her a new sense of safety and comfort.

Of course, no one can ever fill the void left by the parents she tragically lost, but she now has the opportunity to experience love from the next best thing.

I watch as Lia’s face breaks into a wide, radiant, toothy grin; her new parents mirror her smile, tears glistening in their eyes, as they open their arms to her.

She hops down from my hip and dashes straight into their welcoming embrace. They express their gratitude to me, each holding one of Lia’s hands before they head off to the pack run’s starting point.

My dad lets out a howl, the signal for the run to begin. I stand by, observing as everyone starts to shift, including Lia’s new parents.

She clambers onto one of their wolves, her face alight with pure joy. I watch as the pack takes off into the distance.

I keep my eyes on them until I can no longer see little Lia, riding off into the sunset with her new family.

A warm sensation spreads through my chest... could it be a flicker of happiness?

As I head back to the packhouse, a small smile tugs at my lips.

I made that happen, I think to myself, a sense of pride swelling within me.