The Hunt

Chapter 18

When speaking of possible religions amongst werewolves we cannot ignore the ancient worship of Born Lunas. Archeologists have studied for many years ancient texts and works of art that depict Born Lunas as goddesses, revered for their strength and instinct. Not much is known on Born Lunas therefore much of our knowledge is based on these ancient texts. It is said they can read into another wolf’s soul, tame the most aggressive of Alphas, and even hints that they have other ‘supernatural’ abilities. All of this is to be taken with a grain of salt as our specimens have not spoken of these abilities when interrogated. 

Hunter’s Codex, Werewolf Lore pg. 229

    I watched on as Caden met his soulmate. Watched as they smiled at each other, mouths moving, speaking  to each other, but I couldn’t hear a thing. I felt numb. I knew I should feel happy for him, congratulate him, but I couldn’t bring myself to move or speak. 
    Everything happened in slow motion, out of focus. Alpha Bailey slapped Caden on his back, causing him to stumble forward a bit. His chest shook as he laughed and Caden gave a sheepish grin. Alice stared at Caden, her eyes shining. Alpha Andrew grinning from ear to ear, not able to hold back the joy he felt as his son found his mate, a born alpha female, a true luna. 
    And all I could do is stand there and watch on, cursing the fact that my mate had to be human. That I couldn’t celebrate when I met her, I didn’t get to hold her in my arms and bring her home. My parents still don’t know what she looks like. They can’t feel pride for their future daughter-in-law and boast to their friends.
   Instead they had to watch me as I slowly fell apart, waiting for a day to come where something changes. Fighting the clock until they completely lose their son or finally gain a daughter, whichever came first. 
      I needed to leave. 
    An arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me in close. Giving me a squeeze. I glanced over and saw my father’s face, watching the scene before us with a pained expression on his face. He said something to me but I couldn’t hear it, still fighting whatever this was growing inside of me that just wanted to curl up in the corner of a dark room and let it all be. 
    “Snap out of it Will, we still need you here.” My dad whispered in my ear, finally breaking through the silence. 
I nodded, my body shaking at the lack of energy, everything hitting all at once. 
     “I guess we’re no longer just neighbors anymore now, Andrew!” Alpha Bailey’s voice towered over everyone else, grating against my ears. 
    I found my spot back against the wall and sat on the floor, my plate of food still where I had left it. Focusing on that plate, I tried pulling myself out of the dark thoughts that hung at the back of my mind. My dad was right, I’m still needed here, it’s not over yet. 
     “I would say you’re right. Welcome to the family, Alice.” Alpha Andrew smiled in her direction before finally sitting back down behind his desk. 
    “Thank you.” She replied, her voice soft and quiet, matching her appearance. Caden watched her like a love sick puppy. They had already moved closer to each other and he reached out to hold her hand. 
    “I guess we should go ahead and get this meeting started.” Alpha Andrew cleared his throat and picked up the file Caden and I had prepared earlier in the morning. “My son has already organized the details and information we have.” 
  Bailey grabbed the file from him and found his seat across from the desk. He flipped through the pages methodically, in full alpha mode. My father stood next to where I sat, his leg touching my shoulder. I was glad for it, he was keeping me here. Caden and Alice stood next to each other, holding hands.
    “Hm.” Bailey shut the file and looked up at Andrew. “So they’ve managed to get four of your pack members already?” 
    Andrew nodded at him. “They seem to be singling certain wolves out and attacking them. We aren’t sure why just yet.”
    Caden glanced in my direction. We did know why. Alice picked up on our exchange and looked at me, finally realizing I was in the room. Something strange crossed her eyes as she read me. I didn’t look away, there was no point in hiding it anymore. 
    Caden was speaking with his father and Alpha Bailey about the techniques the hunters have been using, but Alice continued to watch me. She was struggling with something and I wasn’t sure what. I had heard stories about a born Luna’s intuition but had never experienced it first hand. Alpha Andrew's wife was just another wolf, she didn’t hold a title before becoming his mate. 
    Alice finally looked away and tugged on Caden’s hand stopping him in the middle of his speech. “What does your Beta’s mate have to do with this?”
    Caden’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “How. How did you?” He cleared his throat, unsure what to say.
    She looked back at me. “He has guilt written all over him, his mate bond is also strained. Dangerously so. I just put two and two together.” 
    Alpha Andrew looked at me sitting against the wall and his eyes darkened. “Answer her.”
    “She’s human. I guess the hunters don’t like that.” I rub one of my eyes, trying to stay awake. “I thought maybe I could make it work, but…” 
     Caden spoke up, helping move some of the attention off of me, “It’s just a theory, but we think they’re after him specifically. All of the wolves attacked resemble his.” Bailey listened in on what Caden had to say but Alpha Andrew kept his eyes on me, something stirring behind them I didn’t want to face. 
    I glanced back at Alice, she still watched me, deep in thought. She closed her eyes for a moment, and gave a small shake of her head. She knew we were keeping something else from them. 
    Alpha Andrew nodded to himself, his attention still trained on me. “So it’s as simple as letting them have you. Then the attacks will stop.” 
    “You can’t do that.” My father stepped in front of me a bit, blocking my view of the alpha. 
    “Of course I can. This is my pack and I have to do what’s best for the majority.” A growl rumbled low in his chest.
    Alice’s soft voice broke through the tension, demanding attention even though she barely spoke up. “That would defeat the purpose. If you just gave him up, what would stop them from continuing? Apparently not you.” 
    Caden’s dad shot daggers at the small girl standing next to his son. As much fear as his large frame would put through any other wolf, the hardness that sat deep in Alice’s eyes would put more.
    It was unsettling and Shivers ran through Andrew before he broke eye contact with her. “That’s quite a daughter you have there, John.” He mumbled out.
   Bailey sighed and sat back further in his chair. “Tell me about it. Trying to get her to listen practically went out the window when she hit puberty.” 
    Andrew nodded, still not looking Alice in the eye again. “Born Luna’s are a rare and wonderful thing.” 
    Alice looked at me once again. “I won’t let them have any more of this pack. You included.” The gentleness of her voice didn’t match the raw anger that rolled off her, making the other men in the room keep their heads down. “Do you think you could draw them out?”
    I held her eyes, not affected by the power she put off. Maybe because everything in me had already checked out and didn’t care anymore? Maybe because something deep in me thought maybe she might put me out of my misery? Who knows. “Sure, why not.” 
    She nodded, relaxing the pressure in the room just slightly. “Good. We can revisit this tomorrow if you don’t mind Alpha Andrew? There’s a few things I would like to speak with Caden and his Beta about.” 
    Andrew, not sure how to handle the tiny creature in front of him, just cleared his throat and nodded. “Of course. John and I have some catching up to do anyways.” 
    We filed out of the office, leaving Caden’s father with John and my dad. It wasn’t until we were outside in the parking lot that Alice turned and looked back and forth between the two of us. 
    “Tell me what you're keeping secret. I need to know so I can help.” She said.
    Caden looked to me to answer. I sighed and said, “We know who the hunters are.”
    Her eyes widened slightly in shock but she didn’t say anything, waiting for me to finish.
    “They just so happen to be my mate’s friends. She doesn’t know, though.” I finished watching her to see how she reacts. 
   Alice stared for a moment. Her gray eyes boring into mine. Born Luna’s truly were an unnerving thing to behold. “And you're sure, without a doubt, that she doesn’t know anything?”
    I just nodded, not feeling the need to answer verbally. She already saw my answer anyway. 
  “Can I meet her?” She asked. 
   Taken aback for a second, I mouthed like a fish, not sure what to say. 
    Caden took the opportunity and ran with it, “You know, that’s not a bad idea. I’ve never had the chance to meet her either.” 
    “You want to meet her?” My voice croaked out. 
    They both nodded, a smile sparkling in Alice’s eyes. “Her and I will be working closely together in the future if all goes well.” She responded. 
    Alice was on to something. Bringing Michelle into my world a little at a time was perfect, I just didn’t have a way to do so until now. Humans weren’t allowed into our town, it’s why we lived in a gated community. We even had our own mail routes. “How would you meet?”
    Alice’s grin grew, “A double date, of course.”