Chapter 11

HUNTER I stare at myself in the mirror. My wet bangs dripping in front of my eyes.

I’m okay. I’m okay.

My anger filled eyes glare into my reflection as I try to control the animal urges raging inside me. I splash water on my face and rub my hands down them.

Breathing slowly, I look again.

I’m fine. It’s everyone else. Lainey and her constant denial of her feelings. Ryan and his constant sniffing around. All the males at work stressing me out. I know they want Lainey for themselves. My pack. I don’t have the problem. They do.

I’m just protecting what’s mine. If that means I hide her from the world, fine. There’s no way, my female is going anywhere near another male.

She says it’s a lust lock. That’s bullshit. She can’t lock me. I wouldn’t work. I love her too much. I wouldn’t allow her to kill me. She needs me. Why would I do that?

I dry my face and hair. I get dressed.

Collecting my guy and locking him up in his cage, I go downstairs.

“Good morning.” I say to Ryan as I walk by him. He’s eating breakfast.

“Morning.” He says with a mouthful. “Hey, I think something got in and died in the basement.”

I turn to him as I pour my coffee. I snort. “What?”

“I’m serious. You can’t smell that?” He stuffs his mouth.

I drop my cup on the island. “What are you talking about?”

“It smells like something died in here, man. We need an exterminator or something.” He drinks his coffee. “The staff have been complaining for weeks.”

“I don’t smell anything.” I don’t. The only thing I smell is Lainey’s sweet black rose scent.

“Well, I don’t know what’s wrong with your nose, but you got to take care of it man. I almost puked last night.” He gets up and puts his plate at the dish return.

I nod. “Sure. I’ll look into it.”

He claps my back. “Ok. I’m in meetings all day. Won’t be home until late.”

“OK."

I look over my shoulder and watch him leave.

Lifting my coffee cup, I think he’s just lashing out. He wants Lainey so he’s trying to turn me off of her. It’s not going to work. I huff a laugh and drink my coffee.

****

I deliver Ash’s piece to him and he looks at it. He touches his symbol and he looks lost.

I watch him looking around and the look of pure terror on his face. I hear him shout and then he tried to fight his way out of his chair.

Everyone stood up.

“We’re dead, man. Everyone.” He says as he hangs onto Mateo. He’s completely freaked.

When he calms down and tells us what he saw, my body heated.

His eyes caught mine and I looked away. Why is he looking at me? I don’t like it.

When they start talking about Lainey, I swallow. I start to sweat slightly. They won’t find her, but doesn’t mean I let my guard down.

Out in the hall, Ash stopped me. “I need to talk to you, privately.”

I thumb over my shoulder. “I’d love to hear it, Ash, but I have to get going on the program to track the vamps. I…uh…I got to go.

He grabs my arm. “It’s about my vision.”

I smile. “I’d love to hear it. I’ve got to finish this and get home. There’s something important I have to do. I’ll catch you later Ok.” I tap his arm and jog away from him as fast as I can. Now, he’s getting too weird.

If he saw something about Lainey, I don’t want to hear it. I don’t care. Nothing will change how I feel about her.

****

This blue moon was the fucking worst. I’ve always been stressed and crazy because my wolf is so…Alpha, but this was like torture.

I laid in my bed and fucking shook the whole time. My wolf slamming the shit out of me.

I sat in the deep blue of my loft, sweating absolute buckets.

I wanted to kill something. I wanted to fuck something. I wanted something. I just didn’t know what the fuck that was.

It got so bad, I walked to my balcony, jumped off, shifted and fucking ran until dawn.

When I came back, I was tired, filthy and up to my neck in frustration.

I looked up the hall where the basement was and licked my lips.

I shook my head and walked upstairs. I’m exhausted. I need sleep.

A few hours later, I’m woken by my phone. I groggily pick it up and look. It’s Ricky.

“A meeting now? Ugh.” I flop my head down on the pillow.

I feed Lainey and leave for the office.

When I get there, the guys are harping on Brody for wasting his life on Desi. I feel for him. Just because Fate doesn’t want you to have her. Why the fuck should you not? Besides, with everything, it wouldn’t surprise me if one blue moon they were fated.

“If you love her, hang on to her man.” I tell him.

Ash scoffs. “You think they’ll become fated?”

I lean back. “Right now, I’ll believe anything possible.”

It’s true. I’m in love with a vampire. She’s happy in my pack house. Nobody would ever believe that’s possible.

Finally, Ricky and Zander show up. Zander is looking like shit. He must of partied a little too hard last night.

Again, this meeting is about the missing vamp. We have to find her because of the upcoming Alpha games. Ricky doesn’t want the vamp killing people.

I clench my teeth internally. Yeah, let’s just ignore the psycho Lycan eating people. No, let’s blame the Vamp.

I try not to show my disdain for their talk about Lainey. Fighting myself to stop me from full on attacking these guys.

They want me to find possible hive locations all over the country. That will take weeks. I told them I’ll contact my buddy Finn in Axelridge to help. Finn’s a good Alpha.

Him and six others cleaned up his city of Lycans 9 years ago and they didn’t want Falcon Ridge to screw it up again, so they refused Bastian’s alliance offer.

They have they’re own alliance going on and don’t need us. Finn helps me on occasion, but for the most part they want to be autonomous.

It’s an awesome city, if you like Canadian type winters. Snow bunnies are really fun.

The conversation turned back to Lainey and my thoughts, once again, were turned to serious bodily injury.

Ash’s eyes meet mine a few times. Stop fucking looking at me, asshole. I growl in my head.

Ash doesn’t know me too well, but if he keeps this up, he’s going to real fast.

After the meeting, he stopped me on the stairs.

This is the last straw, I swear.

He wants to talk about his vision and I need to get away from him as fast as possible.

He grabs my arm. “Hunter, this is important.”

“Ash, it can wait!” I glare at him.

I feel my wolf surface and my eyes glow blue then a green flash.

He looks at me weird.

He pulled my sleeve down. We both look at the drop of blood I got on me from Lainey’s last feed.

“I cut myself earlier.” I pull my arm back and push up my sleeve. “Damn screwdrivers.”

He takes some steps closer. “What’s wrong with you?” He looks at me suspiciously.

“Me? Nothing. Why would you think somethings wrong?” I cinch my brow together. I don’t like where this is headed.

He steps even closer. “What are you doing?” He narrows his eyes.

“Nothing.” My face drops and I tilt my head.

He steps again. “No. Somethings off.”

I’ve had enough. I step down and close the gap.

“Back off. Right now.” I snarl at him. Ash is big, but I’m not scared enough to not bash his head into these stairs.

“I want to like you, Ash. I really do, but you force my hand, I won’t hesitate. Am I clear?” I give him my lunatic glare and jut my chin out. My hand is gripping the railing with my claws out. I tap them on the metal and tick my head.

His eyes flick to my hand and to my eyes. “Crystal clear.” He growls.

“Good.” My mouth ticks up quick. “When I’m done, then we can talk…Ok?” I try to reel it in, but I feel my aggression leak out.

I turn around and take the stairs two at a time to my office.

I looked at my watch after my conference call with Finn.

“Shit! I'm late.”

I grab my stuff and run out of the Unit to my car.

I get in and start the car. “Trish. Private security file Dark Moon.”

‘Request granted. Password?’ Trish responds.

I put the car in drive and head out. “Heavens Angel.”

“Security open.”

I look on my cars console and I see Lainey curled up on her bed.

I’ve got to stop having these late night. I should have been home 2 hours ago. She going to be so mad. I’ll have to buy her some flowers. Maybe some jewelry. Girls like jewelry, right? Yeah. I think she’ll love that. I'll get another dress for her. She likes dresses.

“How is she?” I saw as I leave Phoenix City.

‘I’m detecting no vitals.’

“Run the vitals I put in.” I scowl.

‘Using the parameters inputted…she’s weak.’ Trish informs.

“Ok. Exit feed. Encryption level C.” I twist my hands on the steering wheel.

‘Request granted. Security file secured.’

“Thank you.”

Shit! Damnit!

She’s been getting so much better lately and I screw it up by not feeding her on time.

I hit the gas and drive up the highway.

I bust into the pack house. Ryan’s still out.

I open the door to the basement and jog down the stairs.

I walk across the hall to the door and pick up the padlock. I pull out the key and stuff in the key hole. Popping the lock off, I open the door.

She’s on the bed with her knees pulled up.

She’s so effortlessly beautiful, she takes my breath away every time.

“Lainey.” I breathe.

I rush to her and fall to the floor at her feet.

“Are you ok?”

“I'm hungry.” Her face is pained.

I scramble to my knees. “I know baby. I’m sorry. I tried to get home as fast as I could. Here."

I roll up my sleeve and call my canines. I slice my arm and blood pools around my mouth.

“Baby, eat.” I hold my arm out to her mouth.

With lightning speed, she grabs my arm and sinks her fangs and mouth into the tear I made in my skin.

She rips her mouth off and pushes my arm away.

I hold my arm over the floor as blood drips from my hand. I sit on the bed in front of her.

“Baby, they suspect something. I have to move you.” I stare into her eyes.

“Hunter, you can’t.” She wipes her lips.

I cup her blood covered cheeks “It’s OK, baby. It’s OK. I’ve got everything under control.” I smile at her.

“Hunter, I don’t want to be here anymore. I don’t want to be locked up.” She whines.

My heart hurts to see her like this. I look into her eyes and my face falls. Her eyes flick to my lips and back up.

I leaned into her and my lips met hers. The fog in my brain seemed to clear just a bit. I never felt a kiss so soft before. Kissing her was like kissing heaven itself. My body filled with immense heat and desire for her. I asked for entrance and felt her soft tongue and then I felt her lean into me. I deepen the kiss and she holds my arm. I gently pull back, sucking her lip. It was amazing. Sensual. I want more, but I need her to stop thinking she can leave me.

I feel like I can see bit clearer now. I need to remind her why she can’t leave.

I pull back. “I know, Angel. I know. It’s for your safety. If I could take this from you, I would. You escaped last time and bad things happened, ok. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let the vamps catch you again.”

“But, I need them.” She says.

I shake my head. “No, baby. You only think you do. The only one you need now, is me and once I find the cure, we can be together forever. You’ll see.”

“There is no cure, Hunter.” She insist, flopping her hands in her thighs.

Her voice is getting quieter.

I smile at her. “There is, Angel. I’m so close to finding the Shaman. I know the Shaman can do something. He’ll give me the cure. I’m sure of it. You just need to trust me. You can stay with me and feed off me. We'll be happy.”

“I’m not happy, Hunter.” She says.

The corner of my mouth ticks up and I blink at her for a second. “Yes, you are. You are. You’re…you’re just confused…tired. You’re happy.”

She leans to me. “Let me go.” She breathes.

My smile fades as I stare into her eyes. I feel my mind get clouded again.

“Please, Hunter.” She breaths again.

I blink at her with a serious face. “No.” I say like she just said something crazy. My voice fills with a small giggle. “No. I’m not letting you go. No, Lainey you’re mine.” I wag my finger at her and tilt my head. “We've talked about this.”

I see her start to fall asleep from my blood.

“You just need sleep.” I get up after laying her down. “That’s all you need. You need to stay with me.” I say as I walk out and shut the door. I lock the padlock.

“Forever.” I drop the lock.

I grab a towel off a table and wipe off my face and healed arm.

I climb the stairs.

“No one will ever find you, Angel.” I say as the black fills with the blue light of my eyes. Green flashes fill the dark. I tilt my head forward as I get to the top.

I spin around and hold the door. “You’re mine.” I growl as I stare into the black and shut the door.