Page 40 of Fated to the Hunters
The burns were healing well, with the ones on his face already well enough to not need the dressing. She could barely look at him, knowing that her mates had done that to him. She wondered which one had strangled him unconscious. Had it been Mateo or Vince? And which one of them was still close?
“I’m sorry about your pencils,” Kurt said, breaking the silence.
“What?”
“I never got your pencils.”
Scarlett simply stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking. “You’re not serious, are you?”
“I am. I’ll go back for them tomorrow.”
“I don’t care about the stupid pencils. You got hurt; you got hurt becauseIsent you there.” With those words, Scarlett’s heart broke. This was all her fault. Had they followed Kurt? Did he have a target on his back because they’d been seen together? Unable to sit still, Scarlett shot up from her seat. “You were hurt because of me.”
“Scarlett, it’s okay.”
“Nothing is okay,” she turned on her heels and stormed back inside, with everyone’s eyes on her.
She finished her day’s work at the school, helping kids with their work and watching over the youngest whose mothers were out for work. She helped her mother with dinner, but the meal was only filled with tension and she found herself glad when it was over. No one had talked to her about the next steps, or if they had any leads on who was behind the attack, and honestly, it scared her. Scarlett knew that the only option was to warn her mates about what awaited them. She didn’t want them hurt, but they didn’t seem to afford her the same courtesy. They’d hurt her, and would likely do it again.
She fell on her bed and cried herself to sleep, still feeling one of them nearby. His presence remained constant for three days. He didn’t seem to leave once.
On the fourth day, she ventured into her closet and pulled out the phone they’d given her. There was only one message waiting for her.
It’s just me.
M
Scarlett sighed. Everyone was home at the moment, and she couldn’t risk going downstairs. She stared at the text, wondering if Mateo’s presence meant that Vince was the strangler. She stared at the screen, unsure of what to do. Mateo seemed like the sweetest of the three. Maybe he was here to make sure she was okay. With a sigh, she started typing.
I can’t come out.
I know.
I can’t talk.
But as soon as she sent the message, her finger was dialling.
“Scarlett,” Mateo hummed, pulling her name out in a soft, sweet melody. “I know you’re upset. Ezra never should have even gotten close to your friend. He did nothing wrong and I’m honestly not sure what came over Ezra. Vince should have intervened before things escalated. They were both wrong, and they hurt you.”
With Mateo’s sigh, Scarlett could hear how much their actions upset him, pained him even.
“I’m not here to pressure you or ask you to forgive them. I just…” He took a deep breath. “I needed to be close to you. You calm me and I can’t stand being at home right now. I don’t want you to worry about coming out to see me. I just hope your friend is okay.”
Tears welled in her eyes, but she made sure to keep her breathing calm. If she did, he might not know how much his words meant to her.
“I might leave soon, but not because I’m losing my patience or don’t want to wait on you any longer. Just this conversation has calmed me enough to go home without ripping them apart. Now get some rest, my love. It’s late and I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
He hung up and for a while, Scarlett couldn’t move. She simply sat there on the floor of her closet, staring down at the black screen.
Two days after that phone call, Scarlett was finally left alone. Her father and Maximilian had dinner with some investors, and her mother went along to charm the other wives. She waited until it was dark, then made her way down to the fire exit. Mateo hadn’t left, and she wasn’t sure how he’d managed not to for a whole week.
Considering that she’d texted him half an hour ago, he was already waiting for her. “Scarlett.”
She loved hearing him say her name. It was the sweetest thing. He opened his arms and for the first time, she let herself fall into his chest, her hands deep in her pockets. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled, his arms wrapping her in a warm cocoon.
“How is your friend?”
“Infuriated.”
