Jace's POV

When we eventually stop, we park in a huge parking garage. Because the parking is so scarce, only two Cars would fit on this level.

Zael and I are the body guards, we decide to stay together with Annabelle while the others head up to the next few levels to look for spots.

Annabelle climbs out of her car, and the way her hair falls, softly tousled from the open window with her tight shirt and shorts just about kills me. She pushes her glasses up on her head, and I go to meet her.

She really has no idea what she does to me.

I manage to keep my cool, and I keep a hand on the small of her back, almost possessively, so any other male weres know she's mine if they happen by.

Even if we aren't mates, she's still my girl and best friend, and I'll be damned if I let anyone touch her.

Zael parked a few spaces away, and meets us on a big white arrow that points down a ramp that leads down to the floor level.

He's wearing a leather jacket, despite the warmth of the day, and a loose pair of faded blue jeans.

His silver eyes hold mine for a moment, then glances down at my arm around Annabelle, then at her.

I decide to overlook the fact that he checked her out.

He walks on her other side, a few feet away, careful not to touch her as we make our way down the next level.

Braxton, Alaric and Dylan, that scout assigned to us, meet up with us at the entrance.

I find it safe to say that Dylan is gay. He's standing alone, waiting for us all to meet, his hands in his pockets.

He has blonde hair that dusts his fair brows, and he has dark, coffee brown eyes and pouty lips. He's wearing skinny jeans, a pink dress shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and converse.

He's muscular enough, as all weres are, but a little too skinny, emphasizing his femaleness.

He looks at Annabelle and smiles, raising his eyebrows. "Oh, honey, if I wasn't gay!"

She looks a little surprised, but smiles politely. Good thing for him he IS gay.

"Well, your just gorgeous! Look at those lips, that hair, that body, those eyes, lord, those eyes!" he looks Zael and I up and down, then at my arm around her waist. "Oh, girl looks like you already got yourself some fine pieces of work!"

She blushes, and smiles shyly. "Wow, thank you!"

He's right about all of that of course, and I exchange a look with Zael that shows he thinks so too.

I pull her closer to my side in a protective gesture, giving Zael a smug glance.

He rolls his eyes and looks away, down the entrance of the parking garage.

I sense him before I see him, his scent catching me a minute later, then Annabelle and Dylan look as well.

Alaric and Braxton turn the corner, and are walking formidably towards us, and I remove my arm from
Annabelle's waist respectively.

Dylan takes a step back, lowering his eyes with the same respect.

Annabelle does the opposite, and looks up. "Hey daddy!" She says in a sweet voice. "I'm hungry, can we eat some were?"

I smirk, Zael rolls his eyes, perhaps a little fondly, and her dad sighs, as of to tell her that it was her fault for ruining his Alpha mochoness in Dylan's presence. "Yes, Annabelle." He looks at Dylan with an unreadable expression. " We can talk over lunch."

He nods, all professional now. "I know a good place, a few blocks from here."

"Good," Braxton says, shoving Annabelle playfully. "Cus my baby sister gets cranky when she's hungry!"

She growls and punches his arm with as similar playfulness. "Shut it!"

Annabelle's POV

A half an hour later, we're sitting outside a restaurant with two tables pulled together so we can sit closely together.

"So what do we know about this guy?" Zael asks softly on my left, sitting on the end of the table with his arms folded, making his muscles bulge.

I've noticed he's rather muscular for a teenager, even if he is still 3 years older, making him around 20 or so. His alpha blood I'm sure has a big factor in it, because Jace lifts, and is a year younger but has nearly as much as does.

"Well, I've followed him back a few times and managed to get away clean. I've found that he is the only Alpha in this city, in the surrounding areas, and he passes through a few other territories, including both of ours." Dylan says, tapping his slender fingers on the table.

I spin my thin infinity ring, nervously and look at my father, then meet my brothers gaze. He looks pissed, gives a forced smile, then looks away.

I look up at Jace, who's sitting on my right. His smile is much more reassuring, but I still tap my leg nervously. Something doesn't feel right.

My father seems distracted, too much so. He looks out at the towering buildings and beeping traffic, his eyes distant.

I chew my lip, and glance over at Zael. He doesn't show any signs of knowing what's going on, though I'm sure he does with how acutely aware of things he is.

This city stink must be torturous for him, because its already softening and blurring my senses. I hope that goes away with time.

"What's Annabelle have to do with it?" My brother asks, passing a hand over his eyes tiredly.

"Well I'm not sure, but I do know that he has a thing about never wanting a mate, heard he said he'd kill them before he'd accept them. Something about his father abusing his mother or something. I over heard someone say ones. I don't know, but I know his father raised him and taught him to hate and look down on women. That's the way his father was."

"Wait... Are you saying Bell's that freaks mate??" Jace grinds out, clenching his fists.

I clench my jaw and my stomach turns. That's impossible. That can't be right!

My father looks up sharply with a deep warning growl at Dylan, demanding a further explanation.

He visibly cringes away. "It's possible, I'm not saying its true, but it's very likely." Then more desperately, "It's the only explanation as to why he would single her out."

I feel like throwing up, and look at my father helplessly.

Jace takes my hand and squeezes it.

I see Zael's posture turn ridged, and I think at first that it's because of the news. Then he turns to my father and says in a soft, low voice, "That man, the one who just sat down a few tables behind us."

None of us turn to look, but instead sip my vanilla coke, and feel him, rather than looking for him.

I feel his attention on me, and I can smell the new ink smell of a news paper in his hands, and hear him crinkle it, as if turning a page.

He's sitting directly behind me, keeping his distance between us with a few empty tables.

He isn't reading that paper.

I swallow, and Jace runs his thumb over my knuckles out of habit of doing it for so long, since we were kids.

'Jace, Zael, take Annabelle away from here. Dylan, Braxton and I will stay longer and see if he follows. If he does, we'll leave and follow behind you. If he doesn't, then he's just spying.' My father send us all the message.
' Meet us two blocks from here. And keep her safe boys.'

'Yes sir.' both Zael and Jase say at the same time, and give curt nods.

Jace keeps his hand in mine and pulls me up with a smile at my father, as if we were all strangers to them.
"Oh, I'm really sorry, I just remembered that my mom needed my help moving some things today! We'll have to reschedule this for sometime next week, I should be free then."

Zael leans forward to shake my all of their hands, with a friendly smile. "Yes, we really do apologize. It was so nice to meet you!"

I just smile and nod, giving a small wave, not trusting my voice at the moment.

Jase pulls me down the side walk, Zael on my other side, closest to the traffic filled road, staying close enough that my shoulder brushes his arm as we walk, so passer byes can't get between us.

"Is he following us?" Jace asks softly overtop of my head to Zael.

He pauses before answering. "Not him, someone else is. This one's a were, the other guy wasn't."

Great. We're being followed by my possible mate's thugs, who are all out with orders to kill me.

At least I got to eat, God knows how long it's going to be until we can stop for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks guy, sorry if I waited to long, had a bit of writers block up in the ol' noggin and ended up erasing half the chapter -.- okay, thanks loves, bye-bye!