The Hunt

Chapter 14

A pack is a social group of conspecific canines. Pack size and social behavior within packs varies across species. Werewolves specifically have few similarities to their more animal counterparts. Among pack-living wolves, alpha wolves are the genetic parents of most cubs in the pack. We have found this to not be true amongst the werewolf type. Alphas are determined by the strength of genetics and instincts. As with mundane wolves eye contact and posture is used as an indicator of dominance or submission. The same holds true within the werewolf pack. Alphas and Betas alike are able to use eye contact and posture to communicate and read wolves within their pack. 

Hunter’s Codex, pack dynamics pg. 257

    I was currently sitting in Caden’s room waiting for him to bring some snacks from the kitchen for us. Michelle enjoyed the ice cream but insisted on going home not long after, something about having a few things she wanted to do now that she had two good hands. She let me continue to hold her hand throughout the time I spent with her and that put the bond at ease for the time being. 
    It was still strained, I could feel it. I had low energy and felt weaker than I ever have before. I don’t know if I would have been able to stop that lone wolf if I were in the same state I am now. 
    Caden stepped into the room, his arms full of cookies, chips, and a few drinks. “That should be good enough. Although honestly I should be force feeding you some vitamins at this point.” He glanced at me, his brows drawn together in worry. 
    “Toss me some of those chips.” I ignored his comment, I didn’t have much to add to that since he was right. I had a hard time bringing myself to eat properly. Just taking bites here and there throughout the day. 
    “So what did you have to tell me? Sounded urgent over the phone.” He said.
    “I know who the hunters are.” I tossed a chip in my mouth watching Caden stare at me for a moment while he processed what I said.
    “Okay.” He grabbed a bag of chips for himself. “So who are they?”
    “Her roommate and I don’t have any proof but I’m absolutely positive ‘the boyfriend not boyfriend’.” 
    “Aren’t you the boyfriend now?” He raised an eyebrow at me.
    “Does holding her hand count as being a boyfriend? Anyways, I found weapons under her bed when I was there today.” I put down the bag of chips. I had only eaten a handful but couldn’t stomach the thought of eating one more. “You could barely breathe in her room, the wolfsbane was so thick in the air.” 
    Caden kept his eyes on the bag of chips I had set down. I could feel the defeat bleeding off of him but didn’t comment on it. Neither did he. “So the girl is a hunter and you believe since she is then so is he.”
    “Pretty much.”
    “What about Michelle?”
    I didn’t have to think about that. “No, I don’t think she’s even aware werewolves exist.”
    “But she’s living with her. It’s possible she could be too.” 
    I chewed at my lip, thinking about what he said. “Not possible. They met in college, she’s not from here, and to top it off, she wouldn’t have been attacked by a lone wolf. If anything the lone wolf would have been the one in trouble, not her.”
    Caden nodded his head, still eating on his bag of chips. “That’s true.” 
    We sat in silence for a bit. Caden offered me some cookies only for me to turn him down.
    “So what are we going to do?” He asked. “They’re her friends. It’s not like we can kill them. She would hate you if she ever found out. Then I’ll be out a beta.” 
    “I don’t know. Honestly, I can’t think straight. I need to get her out of there and that's the only thing I care about right now.” 
    “She’s safe for now. They won’t hurt her, she’s human.” 
    “But she’s my mate. That puts her in danger.” 
    Caden stopped in the middle of opening up a soda. “You're right. It’s not safe.”
    “See now yo-”
    “For you, not her.” He cut me off.
    “Of course it’s dangerous for me.” I was confused by what he was getting at.
    “What I’m saying is I think we know why they killed Jace.” His voice was low. 
    I shook my head, not speaking. It didn’t take a genius to see where he was going and I didn’t want to think about that. Caden felt the anger rolling off of me and I felt it coming off of him in waves too. Getting stronger with each passing second.
    “Those bastards killed Jace cause they thought he was you.” His words were lost in his growl but I understood him all the same. 
     Caden stood and started to pace the room. He was thinking, working off his anger and bringing himself back down so he could think straight.
    “I can’t go there tonight, Caden.” I was trying my best to hold my anger in check. It wasn’t working.
    “No, I don’t want you too.” He was still pacing. “For now keep doing what you’ve been doing. Get her to want to be with you. Convince her to move out, marry you, I don’t care. Just get her out of there.” 
    I nodded. That’s what I had planned to do from the beginning, that never changed. 
    “Do your best to stay away from them. I’ll handle it.” 
    “How?” I felt drained. All the energy I had from spending time with Michelle, gone in an instant.
    “Don’t worry about it. Just take care of yourself, okay?” He opened his door and we made our way to the living room. 
    Alpha Andrew had just walked through the front doors and he took in my appearance. “Boy, you look sick.” I couldn’t make eye contact with him. His dark brown eyes felt like they could bore into your soul and see all your secrets. That was the Alpha in him, Caden seemed to do the same. 
    “Yes sir, I’ve been under the weather lately.” 
    “Hm. I was beginning to wonder where you had gone. Haven’t seen you in the office lately.” He made himself a glass of water, still watching me.
    “I gave him temporary leave. His work was being affected.” Caden said.
    “I see. Have you lost weight?” 
    “A little. I think Jace’s death hit me a little harder than I realized.” I responded. He knew we were hiding something. 
    “I’m afraid we may need to get used to that soon. There have been a few more attacks.”
    My head snapped up and we locked eyes. I could see the change in his stance as he realized his suspicions were true, that we were holding something back. 
    Clearing my throat I said, “Who was it this time?” 
    Alpha Andrew sipped from his water, contemplating whether he should confront us or not. He must have decided to leave it for the moment. “Ronnie, Tyler, and Noah. Two separate accounts.” 
    Caden growled from beside me. I knew what he was thinking. They all had dark wolves and green eyes. Just like me. “Did they survive?”
    Alpha Andrew sighed, “For now. Ronnie was scouting with a few others so they were able to intervene in time. He got away with little damage. Tyler and Noah, not so much. They were together, Noah’s in critical condition. Tyler should recover.”
    “Tyler was lucky he had Noah with him. He was there 20 years ago and helped fight against hunters so he knew what he was doing.” Caden piped in. 
    Alpha Andrew nodded. “He did his best to protect Tyler. Only 18 years old, the poor boy wouldn’t have made it.” 
    “That’s something I wanted to speak with you about, dad.” Caden said. “Could we ask Bailey’s pack for help?”
    “You mean Alpha John Bailey?” His eyebrows furrowed in thought.
    “Yes. Maybe invite him over for a meeting and see if he’s willing to lend a few experienced wolves to keep watch?”
    Alpha Andrew thought for a moment, “That wouldn’t be too bad of an idea. They’re not too far away so taking care of the hunters now would save them some heartache in the future.” He nodded to himself. “Yeah, I’ll reach out to him, it's been years since we’ve seen each other anyways. It’ll be nice to catch up.”
    Caden put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “You should be getting home and rest up some more. I need you back working eventually.” 
    “I’ll see you later.” I said.
    “It was nice seeing you, son.” Alpha Andrew called out.
    “You too, sir.”