15

(Mia's POV)

After our talk it felt weird but before we could really go into more discussion, my parents called, my mom was mad that I hadn't called for a whole month, I always called her. I apologized and soon she was asking why I hadn't called and what was going on, when the subject of men came up, which she "scolded" me for.

"You went there to study young lady, but tell me all about him, what's he like?"

I had to laugh at how my mom was a hopeless romantic, I told her about Levi, a little more because he was listening in, but there really wasn't any way to hide him from them.

"When are you bringing him to meet us, nina, you know how your father gets."

"Don't tell, Dad, Mom or not everything, and well, sense I have no idea when class would start up again, I guess we can come visit for a couple days."

She cheered on the other end of the phone, we agreed on this weekend, which was in two days so, I hung up and I looked at Levi.

He looked a little somber.

"I guess we're taking a road trip."

"Sounds like it." he said and walked into the room to get dressed.

The day we headed to my parents house I came to realize, I really didn't know much about him, apart from the fact that he HAD a car art shop, was a werewolf, and that his father was an ass hole. I didn't know his favorite color, what his favorite food was, if he even liked music, or just what his other interests really were so, we had to squish all that in two hours of a drive. Which was like pulling teeth, he wasn't really opening up, and I felt like I was over sharing, which ten made me realize that from a different point of view my life had always been perfect.

Now I felt guilty for that. what he ended up sharing was that, he loved spicy food, and he was more into dark red and black colors. I was trying not to panic as I turned the corner on the road that drove right in front of my parents house, but when I looked up, I forgot all my worries.

"No, freakin way." I said, and even Levi looked up, as my words. I parked my truck and quickly ran toward the man standing in the front yard.

"Manny!" I said before jumping onto my big brother.

"MJ!" He said catching me and hugging me tightly.

"When did you get back?"

"Just yesterday, I'm on break for a week."

"Oh,my gosh it's so good to see you!" I said hugging him tightly.

"Jeez little sister, you look stronger then you look, trying to squeeze me to death?"

I didn't panic, I just let go, completely forgetting I now had werewolf strength. I laughed as Levi came walking toward us.

"Levi, this is my big brother, Manuel, Manny this is...my boyfriend, Levi."

I hesitated but because I almost said mate. Humans didn't have mates, they had boyfriends, husbands, or even lover but anyway. Levi put a smile on and extended a hand toward my brother who also plastered a smile and took the offered hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you Levi, hope you're better then the last one."

"Hey!" I said playfully punching my brother's arm, who laughed.

"Definitely trying to be." Levi responded before the awkwardness could settle, my parents came out, my dad looking his serious face self, while my mom was critiquing as she got closer to us, and so far was liking what she saw.

"Dad, Mom." I said giving them a hug too, and a kiss.

"Whose the guy?" Dad asked right off the back, not looking away from Levi.

"Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend Levi, Levi these are my parents, Susana and Victor Juarez."

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Juarez."

"Aye que lindo, call me Susana, mijo you are family after all."

I choked back a chuckle if they only knew how true the statement was.

"What do you do, boy?" asked Dad, in his gruff intimating voice.

"I have a shop, I customize cars."

"Like draw on them and fixing the old cars, that's cool."

"I'm also a bit of a mechanic."

"You have your own shop?" Dad pressured.

"Well, I have the license to work but I'm actually looking for a different location."

"Huh, you get paid well?"

"Dad!"

"It's not making me wealthy but it pays the bills."

Dad, gave him a look, but seemed satisfied.

"A man with too much time on his hands is not a good man to have."

"I can't agree with you more sir."

"Okay, well, come in, I made some food, and the rooms are ready."

We all walked into the house, we sat down to eat, and Levi seemed so at ease now, like the worse part had passed. To my surprise Levi, showed Manny, how he worked on the cars, and some designs he did, Manny was impressed and even if he didn't show it much, so was Dad. After dinner, I helped Mom with dishes, and the men went to watch a game that was on.

"He's definitely nice to look at, Mija."

"Ma!"

"What, something tells me this is the right one, mija."

"Mom, I think Dad would disagree with you."

"A man that has his own business, has the talent he does, and..."

"Mom, I've told you, I'm not interested in rich guys, they're so shallow and think they can buy everyone."

That was an other reason Mitch really thought, I'd go back with him, his money, not only did it keep the police from going after him, but it made a lot of other things go away.

"I suppose you heard....he's dead."

I took a deep breath, trying not to remember that night. Looked at my mom and nodded.

"Fate has a way of working, sweet heart."

"Yeah, I know, I just wish it hadn't gone that far, but then again who knows what he got into."

After that we talked about my classes, and the things I had learned and how much fun I have learning all of these things, somehow we ended up on how I met Levi.

"Well, I went to a party, and we started talking, and somehow we never mentioned names that night, then later he actually saved me from one of Mitch's attempts and as he tried to calm me, we got to talking again."

"Oh, thank God he was there, he really is a sweet young man."

"Yeah he is." I said, I heard Levi cough, I knew he was listening.

After finishing, it was still light out, so I asked Levi if he wanted to go for a walk.

"Sure, I'll like to get to know your town."

We grabbed our jackets and headed along the road. There really wasn't any other way to go, the streets were so quiet here.

"How you holding up so far?"

"Fine, honestly, your brother and Dad are pretty cool guys."

"Ha, then I guess they like you, you should've seen what they did to...Never mind."

Levi looked sideways at me.

"You're their treasure Mia, they'll defend you as such."

I looked up at Levi, and I could see how he felt the same, but he wasn't going to say it out loud. I wrapped my arm around him, and he hugged me to him tightly. We walked for a while, when we were about to turn the last corner to go back to the house, high beams hit us suddenly.

"Parading the new man, around are we Juarez, you have no shame!?"

"Who the hell is that?" Levi whispered.

"Mitch's father." I whispered back, as I tried to walk toward the man, but Levi kept me behind him.

Edward Evens was the big money in the little town, he always told anyone who listened how he came from a oil family, and how he was making money, every minute. As a father he always told his son, he could buy anything and anyone with the right amount, we all had a price. Material things were what replaced time, in this family, Mrs. Evens, was gone most of the time, on trips with who know, while Mitch had always been trying to get even a bit of recognition from his father, which never happened.

"Just like a slut through and through." he said to me.

"I never asked him for anything, I never accepted anything from him either."

"Sure you didn't....let me guess you're doing the same with this idiot!"

He tried to slap Levi in the chest, but Levi pushed his hand away, knocking him back on his butt, the man was drunk obviously. Evens then tried to get back on his feet, which he managed after a bit.

"How dare you touch me, you...."

"You're drunk sir, I suggest you leave well, enough alone." said Levi, not taking his eyes off Evens.

"You don't tell me, what to do, you little shit!" He suddenly pulled out a gun and pointed it right at Levi's face.

"Mr. Evens don't!"

"You took my son from me, you stupid tramp...why should you be happy and free, when I feel, like this?!"

"Mr. Evens, put the gun down."

"No you're going to pay!"

"Evens, drop the gun!" We all looked and the sheriff was walking toward us with his gun pulled out and pointed.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded looking at his friend in disbelief.

"Put the gun down, Ed, you lost your son, is it worth losing your freedom too?"

He then looked back at me, it happened so fast, Evens pulled the trigger, letting two shots off, and the next thing I knew was I was on the ground, with Levi, over me. Then I saw his wolf peek out at me, and I realized the bullets had hit.

"Levi, are you okay?!"

"Yeah, they're not silver, I'll be fine, they still hurt like hell." he said gritting his teeth.

"I'm calling for assistance!" he called over to me as he handcuffed Evens.

"No, you could've fixed this a long time ago, now is too late!" I said, helping Levi to his feet.

"He's been shot..."

"We'll take him to the doctor, you worry about Evens!"

"Juarez!" The sheriff called after me, but I was already half way back to the house, When we got there, everyone was standing outside, trying to figure out what happened.

"Mia, are you hurt?!" Mom ran toward me, trying to check me.

"Mom, stop, it's Levi, he took the shots for me!"

She looked at me in horror but helped me get Levi into the house.

"He should go to the hospital!" said Manny.

"Right, Vic, get the truck...."

"NO...No, I'm fine, just give me a minute to rest." Levi said but nobody was listening.

"Rest, you're bleeding out, we need...." started my dad, but then Mom screamed in a panic, I looked at the bullet wounds, and one bullet had made it's way out of his back, and the other one was making it's way slowly too.

"Dios Mio!" Mom said signing the cross over herself, he then pulled me away from Levi.

"Mom, let go of me!"

"That man is a demon!"

"No, stop, you're making things worse...."

Mom, started to recite prayers and Dad came out with his gun. Finally, I pulled myself away from my mom's grip and stood right in front of Levi, and I'm pretty sure my wolf was looking right at them. I was breathing heavy, and fighting down my anger.

"What have you done?" Mom was on her knees in tears.

"He's not a demon, and if you want to kill him, kill me first!"

Dad, looked at me, in shock as did Manny. Mom, clung to Dad, in desperation, he held her. After a second, I thought the tension had gone down, but then...

"They found her...after everything they found her!" Mom cried to Dad, Manny cringed at those words.

"Who found me?"

"Nobody, Mia, she's distraught don't listen...."

"Those people, the people that worship the devil, they place a demon, in the children.."

"Mom, stop, you're making things worse!"

"After everything we did you keep you safe!"

I felt my stomach drop out of my body, as I listened, and the realization hit me hard.

"You..you aren't my biological...my parents?"

"Mia!" said Manny as he looked at me, I felt like I was falling, into the deepest of holes, and I couldn't breath, I felt someone catch me.

"Mia, breath, just breath!" Levi was holding me, but I couldn't catch my breath or even take in breath.

"Mia, Breath!" shouted Manny, tapping my face lightly, then the room just got dark.

I was in my car seat, lights were everywhere, I was cold and alone, I needed to cry to get her attention, I cried and cried but she never came....