Sage sat on the edge of Kade's couch and tried to figure out where to start with a story that haunted her for fifteen years.
Kade was in the chair across from her. Far enough that they were not touching but close enough that the mate bond eased slightly.
The constant pain in her chest had dulled to an ache.
"My father's name was Thomas Monroe," she said. "He was from a pack in Montana originally. My mother was human. They met when she was hiking and got lost in pack territory. He helped her find her way back and they fell in love."
Kade did not say anything, he just watched her with those dark eyes that gave nothing away.
"The pack did not approve. Half-human children are rare and most packs see them as weak. His Alpha told him to end it or leave. He chose her."
Sage wrapped her arms around herself. "They moved around a lot, never stayed anywhere long. I was born in Oregon. We lived in Nevada for a while, then California. My mother died when I was ten of cancer."
"And your father raised you alone," Kade said.
"Yes. He taught me to suppress my wolf, he said it would be dangerous if people knew what I was. That there were wolves who would kill me just for being half-blood."
She looked at her hands. "He taught me to pick locks, to fight, to run. He was always watching over his shoulder like someone was coming for us."
"Because someone was."
"I did not know that until later. When I was thirteen we were living in Idaho, a small town. He worked construction. I went to public school."
Her throat felt tight. "Then one night he woke me up at two in the morning and said we had to go. Right then, no packing, no goodbyes, we had to run."
Kade leaned forward slightly. "What happened?"
"Hunters. A pack had hired them to find us. My father would not tell me why. He just kept driving. We made it to the Montana border before they caught up."
Sage closed her eyes remembering. "Five hunters. Professional armed with silver and wolfsbane. My father told me to hide. I climbed a tree and watched."
The memory was so clear it could have been yesterday. The moon, the smell of pine. Her father shifting to his white wolf form with the black lightning markings.
"He fought them," she said.
"He killed two. But there were too many and they had silver bullets. He went down and I thought he was dead. Then one of the hunters got a phone call. I heard him talking. He said they had completed the contract. That the rogue Thomas Monroe was dead."
"They thought they killed him."
"Yes. They took photos and left. My father waited until they were gone then shifted back. He was bleeding so much." Her voice broke.
"He told me to run west, that there was a pack in Seattle that might help me if I could reach them. He gave me money and made me promise to hide what I was. To never shift and never let anyone know."
"Then what?"
"Then he died, right there. I buried him as best I could and I ran." Sage wiped her eyes.
"I was thirteen and alone. I made it to Seattle and lied about my age to get work, I saved money. Eventually got my GED and applied to college. Made up a backstory about dead parents in a car accident and no one questioned it."
Kade was quiet for a long moment. "Did your father ever tell you why he was being hunted?"
"He said he had been accused of killing an Alpha. That it was a lie but no one would believe him. He said powerful wolves wanted him dead and the truth didn't matter."