Free Werewolf Academy Book 2: Hunted by Cheree Alsop

anything.” He smiled, remembering. “One summer a few years ago, he told Jaze he was bored and wanted to make something. Jaze brought in an old engine. By the time the term started, Trent had it running.” He met his aunt’s gaze. “And he didn’t have instructions or anything. He said he could see it all in his head.”
    “Impressive,” Aunt Meredith replied.
    Alex nodded. “So t he next summer, Jaze got him an engine that was completely in pieces. Trent put that one back together, too.”
    “What did he do this last summer?” Meredith asked.
    “He built a helicopter engine. Jaze said he thought it would be a challenge, but Trent had it done a month into summer. I don’t know what Jaze will come up with next.” He smiled. “I think it’s great that he tries to challenge Trent, though. Trent appreciates it.”
    Meredith smiled back. “You really like Jaze, don’t you?”
    Alex nodded with his gaze on the desk in front of him. “ He’s been so good to me and Cassie. He didn’t have to take us in like that, you know?”
    Meredith was quiet for a few minutes. She finally said, “It must have been hard losing everyone in your life.”
    Alex nodded again, but he couldn’t speak. He thoug ht they really had lost every person in their family. To have his mother’s sister at the Academy was more than he ever could have hoped for. The twins went from only having each other to having an aunt who cared about them. She had spent time over the summer getting to know them. She cared about little things like their favorite colors or what kind of food they liked. She had even surprised Cassie with a box of chocolates one night. Apparently, they had the same tastes.
    “I lost everyone,” Meredith said in a voice so quiet Alex wasn’t sure she knew she had spoken out loud.
    He let out a slow breath as the realization hit him hard. He hadn’t really thought of the fact that no one came for her or looked for her after Jaze rescued her from Drogan. Even though his parents had died, there might have been someone else who cared. “Did you ever get married?” he asked.
    Something flickered in her gaze, some spark of emotion that she smothered quickly before it burned out of control. “I’m not the marriage type,” she answered.
    “I wished we’d known you when we were younger,” Alex said.
    Meredith nodded. “Me, too, but it wasn’t to be.”
    The sadness in her expression made Alex ask, “Why not?”
    She gave him a small smile, her eyes sad. “When the werewolves first started getting killed off, it wasn’t safe for us to be in big packs. We split up and my sister and I visited each other only once in a while. Then Jet was taken.” She took a shuddering breath. “Mindi and Will were beside themselves. They looked everywhere. I had never seen my sister look so lost. I tried to help in any way that I could, but he had vanished.”
    She rubbed her eyes as if the memories were painful. “So many werewolves were being killed. It was a dark time for our race, and nobody was safe. There were a lot of horrible things that happened. When you and Cassie were born...” She swallowed and continued, “Mindi and Will decided the best thing was to move away. I couldn’t go.”
    The pain in Meredith’s voice held Alex. His heart gave a slow thump. “Why not?”
    She opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head. After a minute, she tried again, blinking back tears that she refused to let fall. “ It wasn’t safe. Bad people were looking for me. I couldn’t let them find my family.”
    Alex nodded. With Drogan’s attacks, he knew exactly how she felt. “I’m glad we’re together.”
    She gave him a watery smile. “Me, too.”
    Familiar footsteps walked to the door. Alex and Meredith both looked up with expectant expre ssions. Cassie appeared from the hallway. Surprise colored her expression at the sight of both of them.
    “I, uh, just... ”
    “Wanted to see how Aunt Meredith’s first day went?” Alex