(Un)bidden
: Chapter 1

In the soundproofed room of the Compound, I listened to Bethi tell us about the three races and the purpose of the Judgements. Her story sounded surreal. How could I possibly be part of something like that? Yet, I didn’t doubt what she said. My abilities were proof of her words.

I studied Bethi for a moment and knew she felt it, too—the separation from the three races we needed to balance.

Charlene. Thomas’ thought nudged mine back to the conversation.

“…to buy us some time to plan,” Bethi said.

It took a moment to recall what she’d just said. I Claimed him to stay alive…to buy us some time to plan. She was talking about Elder Joshua, one of the Urbat.

“To plan what, dear?” Winifred asked.

“An evacuation, to start,” Bethi said.

Evacuation? My heart stopped and panic surged. An immediate sense of calm washed over me, and I knew it was Thomas.

He understood my panic. This was the only home I knew. My sanctuary for the last—how many years had it been? I couldn’t leave. It wasn’t safe out there. Even after all these years, I had a sense of foreboding. If I left this place, things wouldn’t end well.

“What do you mean?” Thomas asked.

“When the Urbat come, they will use the people we love to try to sway us. First, they use our families, torturing them until we do what they want. If that doesn’t work, they start torturing us.”

Torment filled her gaze. What had the poor girl already endured? I could only imagine how the weight of our past lives burdened her.

“What do the Urbat want?” Grey asked.

“For each of us to Claim one of them.” Bethi’s eyes darted to Michelle, Gabby, then me.

“We’ve already Claimed someone,” Gabby said. Clay rested a hand on her shoulder.

I was glad to see the two of them had found an understanding. The first time I’d met Gabby, so alone in the world just as I’d been, I felt the need to protect her. Looking at the girls at the table, I realized I felt the same for each of them. I needed to protect them. They were unique, like me; and the Pennys of the world were still out there, waiting.

“It won’t matter,” Bethi said, pulling my thoughts back. “A Claim can be broken by death or simply by Claiming another.”

Shocked silence invaded the room. I felt Thomas’ reassurance once more.

“That’s why I was willing to Claim Joshua.”

Luke looked angry at the mention of the Claiming.

“The next step is for life,” Bethi said. “Once Mated, we don’t Mate again. I mean, they could force us to Claim another and mate, but it doesn’t do any good. Our hearts stay with the first lost Mate. The new Mate holds no influence.”

“Influence for what?” Sam asked.

“For balance,” Bethi said. “They have been after power since they figured out what we were. The Judgements. In the beginning, we always judged in favor of the humans. At least, that’s my guess. I haven’t dreamed what really happened yet. Since then, as far as I’ve seen, we haven’t made another Judgement. I’m guessing that’s why, despite the inferiority of humans in comparison to your races, they have thrived.”

Her words troubled me. Power was a dangerous thing. My thoughts turned toward my first days here.

“The Urbat are tired of living in the shadows,” Bethi said, unaware of my partial attention, “and want to be the dominant race for a while. The last cycle they almost had it, but one of us died. Without us, things will stay the way they are, with humans maintaining control. The cycle doesn’t last forever—only fifty years—so they try not to risk our lives. But they will, if they must. After all, we can still be reborn into the same cycle.”

“So you’re saying we need to clear the Compound because they will come for the four of you and use the people here to force you into surrendering?” Thomas asked.

“Don’t doubt it. They will come. They always come. And death always follows.”

I considered her ominous words and studied the fear on her face. I knew I needed to speak up, yet after all these years, I still worried what would happen when everyone discovered what I’d done, what I could do.

“What then? Where do we go?” he asked.

“That’s the tricky part. I don’t know where the pack should go, but I know where we need to go. We are missing two of our group. We need to replace them.”

“About this evacuation…,” I said. How could I explain it was unnecessary?

I glanced at Thomas, feeling the fear from the past grab me. Once again, he soothed me. If I revealed my secrets, what would he do? What would he think? Would he still want to soothe me?

“Out of all of us, you and Michelle are the most vulnerable. Michelle’s brothers need to be sent away and protected. Emmitt, if he’s taken, will be a risk to both of you. They will want to break the Claim Michelle has, as much as they will want to hurt Emmitt to sway you.”

I glanced at Emmitt. Though he was a man, I still saw my baby boy; and no one would hurt either of my boys.

He gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. We know now, so we can make sure it doesn’t happen.”

I nodded. I would stay near both my boys and make sure nothing happened. I would do whatever it took, even if it meant revealing the past and the secrets I still held.