"Wake up!" Was screamed in my face, violently yanking me from a peaceful slumber. My instincts kicked into overdrive, and I jerked back, away from the unexpected noise. Forgetting that I was asleep on the couch and not my usual king-sized bed, I tumbled to the floor, landing with a thud and a low grunt. Rolling onto my back, I glared up at Oliver's laughing face through half-open eyes.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're annoying?" I asked.

"Yeah, plenty of times," he responded with an unbothered expression, causing me to snort in amusement.

I was shocked to see the sun was already shining through the windows. I hadn't slept anywhere near sunrise in months. I was sure the only reason I'd finally managed to was that we'd stayed up all night talking, listening to music, and playing video games. I sat up, pushing my hair out of my face, and glanced around to find all of the others already awake... for the most part. Micah was half on a bean bag chair, half sprawled across the floor, looking like he was still half lost in dreamland. He and Oliver had both slept on bean bags while Hazel and Emily crawled into my bed, and I took the couch.

"We need to go. I've got to drop you guys off and get to work," Micah muttered drowsily.

I crawled back onto the couch with a grunt. "I can drive them home if you want."

"No. It's fine," he replied, ruffling my hair on his way past the couch, causing me to grunt in annoyance and slap at his hand. I missed him entirely and tossed a disgruntled look over my shoulder, to which he smirked in response. He chuckled and grabbed his duffel bag from the corner of the room, heading towards the door with the others following behind.

I reluctantly climbed off the couch, figuring I should at least walk them to the door. We all trudged down the stairs, clearly not fully awake after only a couple hours of sleep the night before. I heard mumbling coming from the living room but didn't pay it much attention.

After waving my friends off, I walked back into the house, and I was about to head back upstairs when I heard River's high-pitched voice coming from the living room. She was never awake so early, and my interest was peaked. Pausing my steps, I decided to investigate and tune into what was happening in the other room.

"She tried to kill me! You have to take her back home with you. We aren't safe with her here," River said near hysteria.

Curious, I rounded the corner and barely caught the groan from escaping my mouth when the room came into view. Even though it'd been a few years since I'd seen her, I'd recognize the long grey braid on the head of the person seated next to River anywhere. Sara Gorman, our maternal grandmother, had apparently come when River had called.

I had no idea she would show up so fast, and I wasn't mentally prepared to deal with her yet. I wasn't a little girl anymore, though. I wouldn't allow the old woman to bully me like she had in the past, and I definitely wasn't leaving the place I'd finally come to see as home.

Clearing my throat loudly, I waited for them both to turn and face me. I met my grandmother's midnight blue eyes straight on for a moment before turning to glance at River.

"If I tried to kill you, you'd be dead. Also, you're obviously not aware that this house is technically in my name," I smirked with a cocked brow at the surprise on River's face. "If anyone is leaving, it won't be me. You're free to go with Gran if that's what you want to do, though."

"Now, now. Why doesn't everyone just calm down," Sara said calmly, causing both of us to look at her in shock. We'd both expected her to take River's side without question as she always had in the past.

"I'm sure whatever happened was an accident," she continued diplomatically, and I snorted.

"It wasn't."

A chuckle sounded behind me, and I turned to see Uncle Ben walking past the doorway. He didn't even stop to say hello. He had never been a fan of our grandmother's either. No one I knew ever was except River and maybe Julian.

Lucien always disappeared whenever she came to town, and I'd always assumed it was to avoid the unpleasant woman. Though we'd never discussed it. Just in case I was right, I pulled out my phone and shot him a quick text, warning him that she was in town.

"Ariella, why would you attack your sister?" Gran asked.

I shrugged, not caring in the least what the woman thought. "Because she's a bitch."

Her eyes widened slightly, and I saw a flicker of disdain flash across them for half a second before it disappeared again. "I'm sure the two of you can learn to get along," she said kindly, and I eyed her suspiciously.

The woman never had in my life talked to me like this. Usually, she was even more hateful towards me than River was. I abruptly turned and left the room, deciding to avoid her while she was in town. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was being nice to me for a reason, and I had no desire to figure out what it was.

Later that night, after getting pizza with my friends and Lawrence, I came home to notice Sara watching me from a second-floor window as I climbed out of Micah's truck. Not wishing to take multiple cars, Oliver, Lawrence, and I had just ridden in the back of the truck the short distance to the pizza place Hazel's parents owned.

Once our feet were on the ground, Lawrence grabbed my waist, drawing me closer to him. He gently caressed my cheek and kissed me passionately. I held onto his shoulders for balance and tried to lose myself in the kiss like I always had before, but all I felt was unease. Unsure if it was coming from guilt over my attraction to his brother or the fact that my grandmother was watching us, I tried to ignore everything and just focus on the boy in front of me. He pulled away with a soft smile on his lips and dropped a quick peck on the tip of my nose like he'd done the night of our date before he turned and jogged into the woods that separated our houses.

I quickly said goodnight to my uncle, who was sitting in the living room watching TV before heading up to my floor. When I reached the second-floor landing, my grandmother was waiting for me. I tried to ignore her and continue up the stairs, but she cleared her throat loudly, obviously wanting my attention. Years of having manners drilled into me kicked in, and I came to a stop on the stairs and turned to face her.

"You're getting older, Ariella. I think it's time we had a talk that your mother should have had with you years ago," she said quietly as if not wanting to be overheard.

I cocked an eyebrow, not sure if I wanted to have a talk with her or not.

"It's time you learned some things that have been kept from you," she continued making my breath catch in my throat.

All I had ever wanted was to know all of the secrets that had been kept from me, but since Sara was the one offering to supply those answers, I hesitated. My instincts screamed not to trust her, but after a moment of thought, I nodded and gestured for her to follow me up to my floor. Despite all of my reservations, I couldn't resist the temptation of finally getting some answers.

When we reached my floor, I sat in the recliner in hopes of maintaining distance from the woman. While I fidgeted nervously with my hands, Sara sat poised on the edge of the couch and dove right in.

"You're the oldest child of your generation of Gorman witches, Ariella. That comes with responsibilities," she began. I didn't understand what she meant, but still, I nodded for her to continue. "Our family has run multiple covens around the world for centuries. The oldest of each generation of Gormans takes over as the leader for their coven once they come of age."

With that, I couldn't help but interrupt. "I've heard of the coven before, but I didn't know the oldest child always took over. Why didn't mom take over then since she was your only child?"

 "There was a... conflict with your mother taking over. There could be a slight conflict with you as well. Some people in the coven will object, but if you could prove yourself, then it should be fine."

"What exactly do you mean by prove myself?" I asked, leaning forward.

"I'll get to that," she said, waving my question off, and my eyes narrowed in suspicion. "First, I need to know what your mother taught you about vampires and werewolves."

"Ummm, you mean what I've read in books?" I asked with a confused chuckle.

"I was afraid of that. Ariella, your mother left you ill-prepared to live in this world." she sighed and rubbed her forehead, but I didn't miss the quick flash of something in her eyes that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

A snort escaped me before I could stop it. A part of me wanted to defend my mother, but I couldn't exactly argue with what she'd said. I couldn't help but think that if I had more experience out in the world, maybe the situation with Lawrence and Everett wouldn't have happened.

"Ariella, vampires, and werewolves are real. They exist, and they're nothing like what is portrayed in movies and books these days." I burst into laughter, but it died quickly when I saw the serious expression on Sara's face didn't waver. Could this be why she was being nice to me all of a sudden? Was the woman losing her mind? "That's the same reaction a lot of people would have if you told them witches exist. Think about it, Ari. Did you really think that we're the only supernatural beings out there?"

My face scrunched up, and I hesitated. Because while I wished to believe she was losing her mind, what she'd said made a little too much sense. Chewing my lip anxiously, I chose to listen and judge later.

My heart sped up in my chest when Sara seemed to hesitate to say the next part. What could be bigger than what she'd already said?

"You're in danger. Our family has been hunted by other supernaturals for generations. For centuries, our family has taken on the job to rid this world of evil, and for that, we are hunted in return. That is what our coven does. That is why your mother moved away and kept you kids away from the coven. Because we're being hunted, and she wanted to protect you three."

It could make sense, I thought when she paused to take a breath. As she talked, pieces started to fall into place in my head. It could explain why I was trained to fight, why I was hidden, and why my siblings weren't since I would be the one to take over the coven one day. It would explain why we never went anywhere near the coven my mother had grown up in.

My eyes widened suddenly as another thought occurred. It could explain why my parents had been brutally murdered in their home. Why all of the secrets, though? That's the only thing that I couldn't make sense of. If I was supposed to take over a coven of witches one day, shouldn't I have been taught about said coven at the very least? It also didn't explain why the woman sitting in front of me had always hated me right up until this particular visit.

"Ariella, you are surrounded by supernaturals in this town. If they find out who you are, they won't hesitate to kill you," Gran continued, dragging me from my thoughts. My nerves were building with each new piece of information she revealed, and it was becoming uncomfortable. Standing, I began to pace, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me.

"What did you mean by 'rid the world of evil,'" I finally asked once I'd gathered my thoughts.

"The Gorman name is well known among supernaturals worldwide, for one thing, and one thing only, Ariella. We hunt vampires."

With that bomb, I sucked in a sharp breath, unsure what to believe. I felt my heart trying to beat out of my chest with its fast pace, and my breaths were becoming shallower. I wondered if I was about to have a panic attack.

Seriously? Vampires? Werewolves? We were being hunted? Taking over a coven? It was all too much. Too much, too fast.

"So, you're saying that we're being hunted by vampires and werewolves? River, Julian, and in danger as well? Or just the coven?" I asked shakily, suddenly overwhelmingly thankful for my unusually strong powers. I could protect us. I knew I could. If anyone came, I could protect us all. My confidence faltered when I remembered my parents. I should have been able to protect them too. I could have... if I'd been there. I won't always be there, though.

"Not exactly. Werewolves don't really like us, but they don't usually try to kill us either. They hate vampires just as much as we do. So, they mostly leave us alone as long as we don't bother them. Vampires though... there isn't a vampire on Earth that wouldn't love to get their hands on a Gorman witch. Any Gorman witch."

I bent down and braced my hands on my knees, feeling sick. I struggled to comprehend what I was being told. Finally, I looked up at Sara. "I need time. Let me think about what I've been told tonight before you give me any more information."

Sara nodded in understanding and stood from the couch. For the first time, I noticed an old leather-bound book in her hands. She waved it in front of her before dropping it onto my coffee table. "Read this. It's an old journal of my great-grandmother's. It can tell you plenty."

I nodded idly and watched Sara walk towards the door. With one hand on the knob, she turned back to face me. "Be careful, Ariella. That boy you were kissing in the front yard? He's a vampire," She muttered quietly with an evil glint in her eyes. I stumbled back a step and barely caught myself from falling, but she wasn't done blowing up my life yet. "And there were at least three werewolves in that truck you got out of."

With the final bomb dropped in the middle of the normal happy life I'd created here, she turned and left, pulling the door closed behind her. Once she was gone, I slid to the floor and hugged my knees to my chest, completely overwhelmed, shocked, confused, and more than a little scared.

I had no idea what to do with the information overload I had just received. Maybe my mother was right not to tell me. At that moment, I wished for nothing more than to go back to not knowing. Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.