by Fay Walsh
“Goodbye… Roan.”
She slowly closed the door behind her, and the tears broke free.
Chapter 14
It was only a few days since, she had seen Roan, and Harmony couldn’t help the empty pit in her chest. It still weighed heavily on her mind.
“Where are you going?” Chrys asked her when Harmony got out of the shower. She was drying her hair with a towel. “You’re okay, right?”
Harmony stopped towel drying her hair and stopped to look at her sister’s concerned expression. She knew that Chrys meant Roan. Harmony hadn’t made it not obvious that she was upset by their “break-up”. Though she still wasn’t sure if she wanted to break-up, if it was for the better of her and her sisters survive, shouldn’t it be obvious?
“Just going to the store. Are you sure I can trust you to stay here, without answering the door?”
Chrys rolled her eyes and took out her cellphone, plugging in her headphones. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I won’t answer the door, promise.” She flopped on the bed and rested her head against the pillow, scrolling through her phone.
Harmony stared at her sister and sighed. She would have no choice but to leave her sister here and hoped she didn’t answer anything. However, she decided to trust her sister wouldn’t get into trouble, and went to get dressed.
“Here,” Harmony said and placed the silver knife that had been given to her by their mother. Chrys looked at it and then back at Harmony. “Hopefully, it won’t come down to it, but if you need to use it, do it.”
“But… won’t you need it?”
“I’d feel better if you had something, Chrys. I’ll send you texts periodically, alright?”
Harmony left Chrys and headed for the car, to drive to the store. Her mind was still on edge leaving her sister alone, but she couldn’t always hover over her.
While Harmony was at the store, she continuously kept looking over her shoulder, expecting someone to jump out from behind her, but there wasn’t anyone there. It was already going on noon and Harmony’s mind began to wander again, replaying her conversation with Roan, the fact that, though not intentional, he had given permission for Kiran to kill her parents.
It stung and Harmony felt betrayed, but she didn’t hate Roan. Even the electrical pull didn’t cease to exist. In fact, it only seemed to get stronger the moment that Harmony broke up with him.
“This is driving me insane…” Harmony mumbled to herself. She took out her phone and went to dial Roan’s number, only she hesitated before doing so. “But maybe it’s for the best.”
She texted Chrys instead.
Is everything alright?
Thankfully, Chrys responded immediately.
Yeah, just ordered something to eat. You aren’t going crazy over there are you?
Harmony rolled her eyes but smiled. Haha, no. Alright, keep me posted.
After she made sure that Chrys was fine, Harmony went on Google on her phone and began to do research as she walked up and down the aisles. She had been curious to learn more about the relationship between Hunters and Shifters. She also did a bit of research into any Hunter or Shifter associations in Montana.
It turned out that one of Roan’s ancestors by the name of Jabidah Quinn had come into town as an immigrant with several other members of his family. He had become a well-respected gentleman and became mayor. It was unbeknownst to the townsfolk, but Jabidah Quinn was making sure to create a safe passage for other immigrants as well.
There was a quote by him as well that had been recorded, “I reserve the right to say that for most of my life I have been treated because of the way I was born. I am not like most men out there, just like there are mostly men who aren’t like me. But what I do know is that we all bleed and have emotions the same way, is that not enough to call us equals? I will not lay my hands on any man, woman, or child because at the end of the day is it not time to drop our selfish acts and work together as one unit?”
“Could he have really been this thoughtful and against killing?” Harmony questioned and there was a pang in her chest. That it wasn’t just one of them, but an entire colony of Shifters who didn’t think violence was an answer. Shifters had been struggling for years, centuries, and what if from countless histories the people she had read about were Shifters themselves, that didn’t deserve to be slain.
Harmony frowned as she felt a heavy pressure against her neck. Someone was watching her. She turned her head toward the left but didn’t see anyone as people walked normally through the store.
“So, I see your instincts aren’t completely dulled.”
Harmony’s heart leaped at the sound of an unfamiliar woman’s voice. Her face paled and her eyes extended as she slowly turned her head to see the person.
“Don’t look in my direction, act natural Harmony. Use your peripherals.”
Harmony’s heart pounded in her chest and she looked out the corner of her eye, to see a woman with long bleach blonde hair, wearing oversized black sunglasses. She had a designer black purse hanging on her arm and she wore a brown parker.
Who is this woman? And how does she know my name?
“W-What do you want from me? I don’t have money.”
She saw the woman’s cherry-red lips pull into a grin. She inconspicuously picked up a box of oatmeal as if she wasn’t paying Harmony any attention.
“Do you not remember?” the woman asked, Harmony noted that her voice sounded German. Harmony shook her head and the woman sighed. “You sent a message to one of our sister sites, usually we use that to keep ourselves informed with the world around us, but when my subordinate saw the name Ashur, well, we had to see if it was truly Mary and John’s child.”
Harmony quickly turned her head at the mention of her parents' name. “You know my parents?” she asked her voice slightly raised.
The woman brought her painted red-manicured finger to her lips, before pushing down her sunglasses to reveal teal green eyes.
“We do not want to attract attention, Harmony. Anyone can be a Shifter and you must be wary of your surroundings.”
So these are the people I contacted.
“Who are you?”
The woman hooked her arm through Harmony’s, and she put down the cage of groceries that Harmony had in her hand, on the floor. “My name is Helga Kaiser. I have two of my colleagues with me and we are very interested to know where you managed to find Shifters, especially since you are inexperienced.”
Helga led Harmony out of the store and down the street until they stopped at a black Impala. There was already someone in the driver’s seat and in someone in the backseat.
“So, tell me, Harmony, is it just you? I was sure that Mary and John had two daughters.”
Harmony nodded. “That’s right. There’s my sister, Chrysanthemum. Now how do you know my parents again?”
The door of the driver’s side opened and a man standing at six-feet tall with dirty blonde hair that was pushed back got out the car. He had lidded, gray eyes, and a faint shadow that adorned his jawline.
He smiled at Harmony and revealed a perfect set of white teeth.
“So this is the last of the Ashur bloodline. You’re the spitting image of your mother, you know that?” His accent too sounded German.
“You knew my mother?” Harmony asked. She stood on the passenger side of the Impala as she talked across the car.
“We used to date, for a time anyway. Unfortunately, for me, she ended up meeting John and the bastard swept her off her feet.” He chuckled, there was no hostility in his voice when he spoke about her father. “But John was a good guy and he made Mary happy. That’s all I ever wanted, and if that never happened I would have never met the love of my life.”
He stretched out his hand to Helga, whose lips were slightly twisted in what Harmony assumed was annoyance.
“Hm, strolling down memory lane it seems, Klaus?”
Klaus grinned and winked at Helga. “Never baby, you know I love you to the moon and back.”
“Get in,” Helga said as she instructed Harmony to get in the back seat, but Harmony didn’t move.
“I have my car here,” she told Helga. “And... How do I know if I can trust you? Or if you aren’t Shifters yourself?”
Klaus chuckled. “Her mother’s looks and her father’s skepticism. Yeah, she’s a Hunter alright.” He knocked on the passenger side window. “Hey, Finn get your ass out here. We’re going to need you to take Harmony’s car and follow us.”
“We aren’t Shifters, Harmony, look.” Helga held out her wrist and revealed silver bangles that dangled on her olive-toned skin. “Pure silver, it would hurt like a mother to any Shifter, but to a human, harmless.”
Harmony looked down at her wrists and nodded, confirming that she believed them. They really are Hunters, my parents must have known them.
From the corner of Harmony’s eye, she noticed the person in the backseat getting out. Their black hair was layered and cut short, but partial amounts fell into their dark brown eyes. He turned to look at Harmony and she shivered, feeling uncomfortable as his dead-shot stare observed her.
“Harmony this is Finn, my cousin. If you give him your keys, he’ll follow us back to wherever you're staying.”
Finn nodded, but he did not smile, only further making Harmony comfortable. “I will make sure not to scratch it,” Finn told her, while his accent, too, sounded German. Harmony couldn’t help but notice another accent in his speech.
“Erm, sure.”
Harmony removed her keys from her pocket and slid them across the hood of the Impala.
“Hey, Hey, watch the paint. I just got it done!” Klaus reprimanded them. “That’s coming out of your paycheck if my baby gets scratched.”
“It’s just down the street.” Harmony pointed down the block and Finn nodded, leaving immediately.
“Well, now that is settled, should we get going?”
Harmony nodded and got in the back seat of the Impala, closing the door behind her.
“Klaus, there’s nothing there. Shall we go, love?” Helga said to her husband, who was still checking the hood of his car for any dents.
“Yeah, I’m coming, baby.” After a few seconds, he slipped back into the driver’s seat, and Helga in the passenger seat. Klaus turned to to face Harmony in the back.
“So, I’m guessing this is your first time knowing about Hunter’s then, yeah?”
Harmony nodded. “Right. I’ve only just found out.”
“It makes sense,” Helga said as Klaus started to back out of the parking space. “Mary and John resigned from the Hunter’s Foundation sometime after your sister was born.”
“So, you did work with my parents and… You knew me too.”
Klaus turned back to the front so he could drive.
“Yup,” he said. “Up until you were nine years old. You probably don’t remember much, but if we start to bring up certain things it could trigger your memory.”
“So, where are you and your sister staying?” Helga asked her, turning around to look at her.
“At the motel, we should almost be there.”
Helga nodded and turned back around in her seat. Harmony took out her phone and quickly dialed Chrys to let her know that they had company coming over.
“Looks like Finn is right behind us, good.”
Harmony’s heart pounded in her chest. She was nervous but excited. She would not only get to know more about her parents and who she was, but they would be able to help get rid of Kiran as well.
Chapter 15
Harmony’s words kept replaying in Roan’s mind over and over. The pained look on her face and the tears that fell down her cheeks made his heartache. He hated seeing her crying and hated to know that he had been the one to cause it. Even the electric pull in his chest hadn’t faded, only strengthened.
But, no matter how much he felt, it was what Harmony wanted and he would respect her wishes. In the meantime, Roan was busying himself by interrogating Kiran’s men.
“Tell me, what does Kiran have planned?” Roan aggressively asked one of the rogues. Their face was severely beaten and swollen as they were chained to the wall by silver clasps to restrain them from shifting. “What other rogues is he working with?”
The prisoner smiled and revealed bloody teeth. He spat red blood in Roan’s direction and the glob of blood fell down on Roan’s shoes.
“You are not my Alpha, all hail Kiran.”
The rogue only smiled and despite his face bruised and beaten, with the possible repercussion of death, it was almost like the rogue didn’t fear death.
Roan glared at the man and his nostrils flared. He looked from his peripheral to see the rest of the prisoners, where they too were chained to the wall.
No one’s going to speak, I can tell.
Roan stepped closer to the beaten man and tilted his head to the side, his eyes dilated as he used his Alpha’s Calling. “Let’s make things easier on everyone, alright? If you don’t say anything you will die, and I won’t be able to –”
The rogue male started laughing and sputtered a cough as he sucked in a deep breath.
“Your Alpha’s Calling won’t work on me, I don’t follow you anymore.”
Roan’s pupils returned to their normal size and he turned away from the rogue. He went back up the stairs and exited the cellar, the bright sunlight made him squint as he made it to the top and closed the cellar doors behind him.
“Alpha, how did it go?”
Roan turned around to see a young man with mohawk style haircut, dyed blue hair. His hands were behind his back, respectfully.
“Jonas, what are you doing here? Where’s Kai?”
Jonas cleared his throat, he was still young, and just turned sixteen, he was quite skilled and capable, but was still nervous around the Alpha.
“He, uh, he said he was going to be late, Alpha. There was something important that he needed to do.”
Roan furrowed his brows and wondered what his beta could be doing, that he didn’t inform him about.
“I see. Well, what is it?”
“The Elders would like to speak to you upstairs if you are done with... downstairs,” Jonas said and looked over to the locked cellar. “H-How was it down there? I mean, the rogues.”
Roan sighed. “They’re not responding. Thank you, Jonas. You can return to your duties.”
Jonas nodded. “Yes, Alpha!”
Roan watched Jonas run back off into the field where a small group of his Herd was being taught by one of the adult teachers. Roan headed back around the house to the front to speak with the Elders.
***
The third floor was where the Elders, himself, Kai, and a few chosen members talked and discussed their plans of actions, rogue attacks, protecting the Herd, and what would happen if a human were to see them.
Roan reached the last step and walked down the hall until he reached the ebony, double doors against the wall. Roan stood in front of it and rapped on the door three times with his fists.
“Come in, Alpha Quinn.”
Roan grabbed the gold doorknob and turned, opening the door to reveal four older gentlemen sitting on wooden chairs at a rectangular table. Roan closed the door behind him.
“Elder Maxum,” Roan said and addressed a man with golden color pompadour hairstyle, he had green colored eyes and nodded his head to Roan. “Elder Maurice, Jackson.”
Elder Maurice had a red color low fade and side part, with a trimmed beard. He tilted his head to the side in response. Elder Jackson had on circular, dark sunglasses over his eyes and his twisted, dark curls fell over his thick brow.
Lastly, Roan faced a man with fair skin and short cut dark brown and a full beard.
“Father.”
Elder Quinn had his hands folded together as he looked at his son. His father’s expression was emotionless and his words also held little emotion.
“And there still is no word about Kiran?”
Roan sighed, knowing his father already knew the a
nswer, but he enjoyed to question those who were under him.
“No, father.”
“And the rogues aren’t talking either?”
Again, Roan sighed and grunted. “No. I tried using the Alpha’s Calling, but it seems they have submitted to Kiran.”
The three other Elders leaned into each other to whisper, but Elder Quinn spoke again,
“It is funny how your brother managed to conduct a Herd of rogues to side with and possibly found reinforcements, but you can’t get a word out of six rogues. Perhaps he should have been Alpha.”