The Vampire’s Hybrid / Book Four ✔️
Chapter One: The Second Chance

“Earth to Ava.”

Ava blinked. Her eyes slowly adjusted to her surroundings as she came back from reality. She was getting used to her mind wandering towards different worlds as her own was a living nightmare. Four years had passed since she last saw Prince Lucas and her mind refused to stop thinking about him. Shane was forever in her shadow, and she wondered when he would finally snap and take her away from her pack, her family and herself. He had been threatening her for the last four years, making sure that she was miserable and proving that he was better off without her.

With every passing day, Ava was glad that she accepted his rejection. She has seen him with many women. His obsession with making her jealous with the hopes that she would crawl back to him only led her to train more, grow stronger and enhance her abilities. Ava thought about Marley and Sawyer quite often and she wondered what happened to them. Her Alpha wasn’t pleased that she allowed trespassers to live on their lands and questioned her about the mysterious cabin but she only shrugged it off and pretended that they built it. Ava was too terrified to tell him that she had witch’s blood, only Eugene and Cole knew and she wanted it to stay that way.

Especially now that everything has changed. Ava didn’t quite comprehend the change that struck her world but people are different. People are on edge, and her Alpha is angrier than he was over a year ago. She heard that the other species had changed as well but for the worst and she wanted to see them for herself. She wanted to leave this pack behind, leave Shane behind and explore this new, mysterious world that her brother was trying to protect her from.

Deep down in her gut, she knew that one day she would finally get her wish but she wanted to know when and how. She wanted answers, but her questions were only left with empty silence.

“Ava, baby? You’re worrying me.”

She jumped again and looked into the golden-brown eyes that matched her own. Eugene was her career, her brother and her father. He was everything to her as she was to him but sometimes she wondered if his life would be much easier if she wasn’t in it to bring unwanted drama and chaos. “I’m okay. Truly”

Eugene frowned, his bushy eyebrows making her smile while he placed his face into his palms. “I know there are things you want to tell me but you can’t. You’ve been saying it for a year now but Ava, I would love for you to tell me because it’s bugging you. Is it Shane? Is he trying to force you again?”

Ava shook her head. She felt bad for not telling him about Marley and Sawyer. He knew that she was up to something when they were here but she needed to keep them hidden and that meant keeping them from Gene as well. “No, nothing like that. I just… I heard that Prince Lucas is coming.”

Gene raised an eyebrow and gave her a knowing look. She hated that he knew, she hated that he had been silently giving her his knowing eye ever since she came home that day and practically floated with happiness. He cheered her up that day, that was all it was but Gene had his weird ideas that she was meant to go back with Lucas that day and that the reason why he was coming back wasn’t because of this feud. It was a nice thought but it was unrealistic, if he was her second chance mate, they would have found out that day but then she knew that was an unrealistic thought as well. It never happened that fast and if it ever did, nobody ever shared their stories.

“Well, I hope to meet him this time before he makes your little heart flutter for him more than it already does.”

“I don’t like him!” She whined as she pushed her empty bowl of porridge away from herself. “I needed a friend and he was there.”

Gene chuckled, standing up from his spot before he kissed the top of her head and took her bowl. “I love your deluded mine.”

“I’m not deluded!”

“I can’t hear you!” He sang as he left the living room and walked into the kitchen. Ava couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Their cottage was open plan so he could see and hear her. The only rooms in this small two-bedroom cottage were their rooms and the bathroom and what a bathroom it was. Cole and Eugene worked hard in laying out the pack’s first plumbing supply and she wondered if other kingdoms and cities had the same layout. Running water was magical and soon, she was about to be one of the first people to have a shower.

Ava stood and bit her lip. “I’m telling Cole that you’re bullying me.”

Gene rolled his eyes but didn’t respond. Eugene and Cole’s pairing came as a surprise for everyone. Neither of them was expecting to replace that their mate was a male but now, six years later, they were stronger than any straight couple in this pack. She was happy for them both, Cole was a kind soul and welcomed her as his sister and was more protective than Gene which she found to be amusing. When Cole found out that she was paired with Shane, he wanted her to reject him then and there and warned her that the guy was no good but she didn’t listen and now she wishes she had. Maybe she would have saved herself the hassle of trying to change someone who didn’t want to improve themselves.

Ava went to go into her room, wanting to replace something to do before Cole came home from patrol just as there was a knock on the room. Both Gene and herself paused and looked at each other before he answered the door and was handed a letter.

Her name was written in bold letters and she felt her mouth fall dry. Gene balled it in his fist as he turned his eyes to her and lowly growled. “I will go this time.”

“No, I will go.” She softly said with a sigh. Shane would send weekly letters to meet her at their pack border and discuss whether she would take him back and subcome to her womanly duties. Each week he would get the same response and Gene was getting tired of waiting for her to come home. Sometimes he would follow her just to make sure that she would return home safe and unharmed but Ava had to put her foot down and tell Shane that she wasn’t interested in being with him. The feelings she had for him at the start were gone and now all she feels is sorrow and stress. “I will mind link you if something happens.”

“Ava…”

She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His chestnut brown hair that also matched her own fell onto her face as she smiled. “You need a haircut.”

“Ava.”

“I’ll be okay.” She reassured before she kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

He sighed and pulled her in for another hug. His fingers curled up in her loose hair as he placed his cheek on the top of her head. “If you’re not back in twenty minutes-“

“You will send an army of warriors, I know.” She laughed before she pushed him off. “Twenty minutes.”

He nodded, not wanting to let her go as she left their cottage and walked down the three steps. He stood at the front door and watched her leave as she followed the small stone path towards the trees. A few pack members were around but the pack was quiet today due to Prince Lucas’s arrival. He would be here any minute and everyone was told to behave and stay in their homes until they were told otherwise…it looked like Shane didn’t get the message or his Alpha didn’t care.

Her eyes looked out towards the small docks, noticing a large ship and felt her heart skip a beat. She didn’t have time to dilly around to see if she could replace her prince but she wanted to see him again and thank him for what he had done for her that day. Ava felt her confidence boost thanks to him and so much has happened since then. So many stories that they could talk about and share but then she felt her chest tighten at the thought of him replaceing his mate. She didn’t want to be selfish and hoped that it was because of Gene as to why she felt this way but whenever she thought of Lucas, she felt pain and sorrow at the thought of him happy with someone else. She wanted him to be happy but with her and that was selfish and ignorant of her to dream that delusional dream.

Ava looked away from the docks and continued her walk. It didn’t take her long before her eyes landed on Shane’s bald head. The afternoon sun reflected off of it like a mirror and she couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose in disgust. “There you are, mutt!”

Ava pulled her lips into a thin line and sighed. “I’m not interested in being your mate.”

He snarled. His green eyes which she once enjoyed now sent a disgusted shiver down her spine. “After all I have done for you! After I have allowed you to waste my time?!” He shook his head and chuckled. “Who have you been fucking? Who is better for your little whore legs to be wrapped around instead of me?”

She felt her eyes widen as she took a step back. “N…Nobody! I’m saving myself for the man I love and you’re not that person!”

“Don’t ever fucking yell at me!” He seethed as he was suddenly in front of her. Ava’s scream was only muffled seconds later by his hand whilst his other hand snaked its way around her back.

“You’re giving yourself to me even if I have to take it from you! Enough is enough!”

Ava felt her tears touch his skin whilst she squirmed. Her ears picked up on loud thudding and knew then that Gene had heard her scream but she didn’t know how much time she had. Shane would force himself onto her even with Gene watching, he didn’t care and that only terrified her more.

She pushed, feeling his hands pulling at her dress and his fingers grazing her thigh. The disgust she felt made her want to puke as she cried out and fell. “Please!”

“Please what?” He laughed as he straddled her hips and unbuttoned his trousers. “Please fuck me?”

Ava shook her head. She only had one option but it was risky and deadly and she didn’t know how her pack would react. “Don’t make me do this.”

His eyes only blazed with the type of psychic furry that sent her blood running cold. The darkness in his eyes, the lust and greed made her close her eyes and forcefully push him off of her. Ava didn’t mean to use all of her power but as she opened her tear-filled eyes, regret soon followed.

The sound of his neck snapping, the sight of the crackling fire as flames began to pool around his dead body and the shocked gasps of the warriors that were behind her caused her heart to freeze. Her breath caught in her throat as she found herself repeatedly saying ‘I didn’t mean to!’

But her words fell on deaf ears. Bells rang and snarls began as the two packs broke out into war. Their Beta male was now dead at the hands of his rejected mate and all she could do was cry and watch as the fire spread between the two packs. She heard her name being called, she heard her name being screamed but those voices were only echoes of what her disappear was blocking.

She ran, her numb body ran towards her pack as the smoke and flames clouded her lungs and silent whimpers. Her eyes tossed between human and wolf as she needed to replace a way to eliminate the fire, she needed to use her power for good and take away the flames that represented her distress.

Ava stood in the middle of the town’s square. Her chest heaving with such force that her head began to spin but she didn’t do this. She needed to make things right and that was what she did.

The smoke and flames gently moved from the trees, grass and shrubs. Wolf and human paused as the fire glided from the earth and slowly absorbed into her. Ava took in the pain, she took in the burning sensation until it was gone and the only thing left was the stares of her pack members and now, her enemies.

But then she caught another eye. Eyes that she hadn’t seen for so long but her body tingled. A shiver ran down her spine and Ezer yipped in joy as felt her lips mumble ‘mate’. Ava wanted to smile, she wanted to jump in joy with Ezer while Lucas came towards her with such shock and fascination that she wondered if he knew. She wondered if he knew that his mate was a killer. Was an abomination to her species and herself before her thoughts were quickly taken from her with one simple sentence and kiss.

“I knew it was you.”

And then he kissed her.

Authors note: ANDDDD I'M BACK! Kinda XD I'm planning on updating 5 chapters at a time at random but I was so excited to share this chapter that I couldn't hold off. These two are going to be so much fun to write and I can't wait to see how much of the story they will inevitably change because my characters have a tendency to do that.

Please remember that I don't proofread zero drafts so bear with the mistakes.