Bryce Evans [Evans - The Hunter’s Awakening

Haven Winters hates her life in the Winter Coven. She escapes with only the clothes on her back. She would rather die out in the world alone than stay with the evil mages. The only problem, she's headed straight into the town of Death Huntersthe covens archenemy. If they find out who she is before the mages locate her, she wont have to worry about saving her soul.

Cosmo Fitzgerald, beta Death Hunter, feels it; something is coming. What he discovers turns his world upside down. Then he recalls words from a crazy fortune-teller: if he takes a mate, she will die.

When his alpha tells the Death Hunters to prepare for battle against the coven whos come to claim Haven, he realizes hed do anything to protect the one he thought dead. This time, he may not be able to keep her alive.

You will tell me what I want to know, or the burning will continue, her father said, smiling. His warlock eyes could reach into anyones soul and devour it. This wasnt the first nor the last time he took pleasure in the act.

Please, please tell him, Haven whispered to herself. Her young body trembled quietly in the corner trying not to move or Blairs attention would turn to her. She covered her mouth, stifling the cries she made, praying no one looked in her direction.

Youre just like her, strong willed, but I promise I will break you. The pain will stop, and I will make your death fast if you tell me where the white bear went.

Tears dripped off the womans face, mingled with blood that puddled on the floor. Tell me! her father yelled, but the woman shook her head.

The tisk sound her father always made before hed had enough echoed in the small room. If the lady would just tell him something, maybe he would kill her mercifully. Burn her, Blair. Let her see what real pain is. Just remember, shifter, before the last bit of your strength leaves your body, that I tried to be humane and let you die quickly, but all of you are the same. Disgusting, filthy creatures that need to be killed.

Knees giving out, Haven slid down the wall, hands clasped over her ears, as the scream tore through her head. The woman looked in her direction pleading with her eyes for help. Havens stomach heavedshe was nothing but a coward, forced to watch as her family killed over and over.

Slowly her father chanted the spell to rip the shifters magic from her. His head fell back, eyes rolling to their whites, as the power left the shifter and went into him. The last breath of the womans life trapped in her throat as she died.

Tonight, the decision had been made that when the time came, she would escape these evil people even though they were all she knew.

She would rather die on her own, alone in the world, than live with a madman or his coven.

Sixteen years later.

Propped up against the limb, Haven Winter sat in the tree, waiting for her father to tell her where they were moving to next. Another town, another place that wasnt her home. She smiled at her drawing as she roughed in the last part of the crimson barn that sat next to the Rumson B&B.

The last page of paper in her notebook, she had to sketch this place. This place made her happy. She loved it here and wanted to remember it, especially when the nightmares came. And they always did. Every night she dreamed of the white bears aunt. It was her personal hell and exactly what she deserved.

Ever since she was little, she had been attached to this coven. Her whole life was surrounded by this evil, despicable group of mages that made up her fathers world. Oh, and lets not forget the famous white bear. The bear that nobody had ever seen. Yet, as her father continued to tell her. They would.

That was what hed always point out to her. Her father would get starry eyed as if he were talking about the love of his life, not a shifter they were trying to catch then kill.

She watched as Mr. Rumson swept off the crunchy leaves that had fallen onto the backporch. He didnt see her perched in the big oak. Ted and Reba Rumson were good people. They let her help in the kitchen and sit at their table while the coven searched for the bear. She even got to make and decorate homemade cookies which shed never done growing up. Twenty-three years old and shaking sprinkles on snickerdoodles for her first time. Everyone tried one except Blair.

Haven felt the smile slip from her face. Blair was part of the coven and the vilest of mages. Just her name caused her stomach to hurt. Wicked and evil to the core. Basically, the witch made her life a physical hell.

When the trail for the white bear ran dry, the witch concentrated on her, meaning Blair would find a way to torture her. The woman hated everyone and everything beautiful in the world.

Her dad used the excuse that Blair needed an outlet for her anger. Her outlet? Killing and torturing shifters and animals? The mage hated the outdoors and everything that ran free in the forest. Even the bunnies. Blair hated everything Haven cherished in her heart.

Haven loved bears most, but Blair wanted nothing more than to kill them and steal their magic. She tortured them in the forest. Just for kicks and giggles.

Haven glanced down, breathing heavily, trying to keep the memories away. Her fingers pulled her shirt sleeve down. Seeing the marks always made her mind relive the incident.

Closing her eyes, she shivered, remembering the day five years ago she turned eighteen. She found Blair torturing a real bear in the woods. She tried to stop her but that didnt go well for her. Great birthday, yeah, right.

She had been walking through the woods checking out all the trees. She loved hiking the trails to see the pretty colors of the leaves. At first, she heard a small cry, the squealing of an animal for help. It was in pain. She didnt even think before she ran toward the noise. She had to help it. What she saw made her blood boil, rage coiling inside her.

Instead of using that rage to attack, fear guided her as she let the sight of Blair smiling make her chicken out. Instead, she yelled at her.

Stop, Blair, stop. Youre going to kill her. Its not a shifter. Shes real. A cub. Please stop. Blair continued to tighten the noose around the bears neck. Laughing as she heaved the bear into the air, pulling the rope tighter. If she didnt do something fast, the precious creature would die. She couldnt let the bear die. Just a baby. Searching for anything to use as a weapon, Haven noticed the broken limb on the ground. It wasnt big, but it might get the fat cows attention long enough for the bear to get free.