Her head shot up, “They must have known” he repeated to her causing her eyes to widen. He stepped closer to her, “They are to blame, not you”.
“How can you say that?” she cried, “Why would they have recruited me if they had known of my connections? They hate us!”
“We will find out. I promise” he said stepping towards her. Clara shot away from him keeping her distance. Her eyes watched him closely.
As Clara stared up at Caleb, she couldn’t believe him. She couldn’t understand why he wanted her to stay so much. He had seen everything she had found. He knew that she had worked with The Order an agency she now knew had hunted her grandmother. How was he still standing in front of her with sympathy etched clearly on his handsome features? He reached out for her, but Clara backed away again. He confused her. She couldn’t understand why he had saved her to begin with, why he worked so hard to make her stay, or why he was still here before her. She had been with the pack for less than three weeks. Yes, they had slept together but he shouldn’t feel committed to her. He reached out again catching her wrist before she could evade him.
“Just stop!” she shouted at him. His eyes widened as he released her. “How can you be so understanding about all of this? First you save me then you house me and look after me, and now you’re protecting me and…. just…Just why?!”
Caleb stayed quiet. He knew why but he didn’t want to scare her away. She was his mate and the information in the pile of papers didn’t change that. He honestly didn’t care what she had done. Instead he was angry at The Order. Once he got Clara to calm down and go set her mind on something else he would read in greater depth, but he was already sure that The Order were to blame as to why she never knew her family.
Clara waited for an answer that never came. She watched his face for any hint of expression as to why. Anxiety took over as she hoped for any answer to come from him. Whether she hoped it was because she was the only She-wolf in existence or the fact he had in some why he had come to care for her, she didn’t know but at least she would be wanted in some regard. She stepped further away, her eyes never leaving his face as he seemed to distantly gaze on her. After a few minutes of silence, her anxiety and impatience got the best of her.
“I think its best I leave,” she muttered, “I’m only bringing you trouble”. At that she left the room, her head hung low. The only thing that made her feel worse was that Caleb didn’t reply or argue her instead he accepted it.
Chapter 8
When she had left the office, Clara had done what none of the pack had expected. Within minutes she was heading out of the front door with a rucksack on her back full of her clothes. She didn’t say any goodbyes or even turned around to face anyone. Her eyes focused for a few minutes on the closed office where Caleb still hid behind, and then she left. Michael couldn’t believe it. She had settled into their pack extremely well, and for the first time he had seen his Alpha have some fun rather than just going about his day helping others. They all waited for the office door to open and to see Caleb rush out to bring her back. But they waited in vain.
The next few days they watched as Caleb just paced the house in silence, his mind pondering everything. It was only when he spent the fifth day completely locked up in his office did Michael go in and question him.
“What is going on, Cal?” Michael asked as he knocked on the locked door.
“It’s for the good of the Pack,” Caleb replied solemnly.
“What is?”
“That she’s left,” Caleb murmured.
“Do you really believe that?” Michael asked trying the door handle. The door was still locked.
“I have to,” Caleb replied.
“Open the door, Cal,” Michael asked, “You can’t think all these things through without talking to at least one of us”.
“What is there to talk through? She’s already left,” Caleb replied harshly.
“It’s not like we can’t track her down,” Michael said leaning against the door. He paused and listened to what was going on inside the office. He could hear Caleb pacing and huffing in the room. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe she didn’t really want to leave?” he suggested. The office fell silent, “If you think about it, she was naturally an Alpha. If she saw herself as the alpha here, then she would have been thinking of the pack rather than herself when she chose to leave. Just like you are when you’re processing her decision”.
The door opened and Michael finally got a glimpse of Caleb. He looked exhausted and haggard. He was still wearing the same clothes as the day Clara left.
“Do you think she left for that reason?” Caleb asked as he peered around the door.
“We won’t know until we go find her,” Michael smiled. He expected Caleb to grin back, to be eager to hunt down his female. But the Caleb that stood before him just sighed and shook his head.
“We can’t go get her,” he said, “If The Order haven’t found her yet, they’ll follow us if we leave to go get her”.
“Decoy?” Michael suggested.
“We have no idea who they’d accept to follow”.
“I think it’s time to recruit some Strays,” Michael grinned.
∞∞∞
Clara sat on a cold metal dinner chair in a motel room staring out of the window. Her eyes focused on the small metal door on what looked like a small warehouse. Only those from The Order knew that it wasn’t a warehouse. Behind that door was one entrance into the main headquarters. She had already watched hunters coming and going for the past three days. No one had noticed that there was a Lycan staying opposite an entrance. She figured no Lycan in their right mind would even walk within a mile radius of a place that reeked of death. And that thought fitted right into her plan.
Her eyes narrowed as the door opened. There he was. Howard. He stepped out looking at his phone. A group of five hunters followed and stood there. All of them were dressed in black from head to toe, guns rested in their holsters on their hips. Taking a deep breath, Clara left her seat. Dress in casual clothes that were bright enough to make her stand out, she walked over to the bed. She picked up the gun she was swiped from a hunter four days ago. He hadn’t recognised her when she had creeped up on him. It was one swift twist of the neck and he went down. Clara quietly and quickly checked that the mag was fully loaded before readying it for her mission. The wolf inside growled at the thought of using a gun rather than its teeth and claws, but it understood why it had to be done.
She closed her eyes for a moment and pictured the pack in her mind. She missed them. Her wolf begged to go back, to run with them, and to stay by Caleb’s side. Clara told herself she couldn’t go back, not until she could rectify what she had done as a hunter. She had no right to life with other Lycan’s until she avenged her family. Growling at the thought that her family had died at the hand of The Order, she headed out of the door. Once down the hallway, Clara stepped out of the front of the motel and stared at the group. They were moving towards two standard black SUVs as she stepped out. With a grim firm line of a smile Clara raised her gun. This time she had to lead on a wild goose chase, before taking her revenge.
Her finger pulled on the trigger twice. The right front wheels of both SUVs blew causing the whole group to pause and look around. She pulled on the trigger again, the front passenger window shattered. She huffed. The Order never thought to make their cars bulletproof, in their ethos no Lycan would ever use a gun. The hunters moved around the SUV their eyes intent on her. Howard stood stock still where he was. She blew a kiss before sending on more shoot, this one clipped his ear.
In a blink she moved. Clara had her path set out in her mind as she ran. She darted right down one alley leading the hunters away from the entrance. Once they turned the corner after her, she darted left towards a public car park. She slid across the gravel and under a blue Land Rover. From under there she shimmied out of her clothes, keeping her eyes on the opening to the car park. Once naked she quickly slipped the gun under her clo
thes before shifting. Her wolf was more than happy to come forwards. It was time to fight with claws and fangs. Keeping down and out of view, Clara watched as the Hunter’s scouted the area.
Two hunters headed down a path to the left of the car park, while the other three headed down the road to the right. Once they were out of the view, Clara focused on the only person that stayed patrolling the car park, Howard. He slowly stalked the car park, peering into each parked car as he went. Only a small voice in Clara’s mind told her to run, but instead she waited. Howard got two cars away before Clara pouched.
They landed on the rough gravel ground sending stones flying. Clara stayed silent as she cuffed his neck with her fangs. Her front paws pinned his forearms, stopping Howard from reaching his gun. A low thunderous rumble slowly grew from her chest. The human part of her was hesitant to act and rip out his throat, yet the wolf part wanted him gone.
“Clara, I won’t hurt you,” Howard said softly, “You still mean a lot to me. I’m sorry I left you”. Clara lifted her head and stared down at him. He still looked the same, and his expression was sincere. “You need to run, The Order won’t rest now they know you exist,” he whispered. Her eyes widened. Why was he telling her this?
“If you head back to the Ash Pack, The Order will order a kill mission on the whole pack,” he warned. Clara’s heart dropped. She wanted so much to head back to Caleb and his pack, but the idea of them dying was enough to make her plan never to return. “You need to head North,” he ordered, “Once you get to Birmingham, you need to find Harley Finn. He’ll help you escape The Order”.
Slowly Clara backed off Howard and stood there staring at him in shock. He sat up and did a quick survey of the area before leaning towards her.
“I mean it when I say I’m sorry,” He said, “You need to run now before…”
Bang.
Clara fell to the ground, pain radiated in her right hind leg. A howl escaped her. She had stayed still too long in an open area. Hurt she looked towards Howard who had jumped up with his back to her.
“Good job, Jones,” said a very familiar voice, General McKenzie. Her gut instantly dropped. “I never thought we might bring her back alive”. The old man sounded smug. Slowly Clara pulled herself up and stepped closer to Howard. Her golden eyes focused on the general and the young hunter next to him. His granddaughter, Natalie. Clara wanted to destroy that skinny ambitious hunter.
“I told you, he would keep her distracted,” Natalie smirked. Clara stilled; her head raised to look up at Howard. Unable to see his face she tried not to believe that he had just acted like he wanted to help her.
“Put a chain on her and drag her back,” order the General. Clara limped backwards. With wide eyes she watched the humans around her.
Howard turned around holding a silver chain firmly in his hands. His whole demeanour told her that he was going to follow the order. Fear ran through her as she whimpered and looked up at his face. She expected to see a cold expression, with no emotions. But instead there was sadness there. There she saw her answer. He mouthed one word.
Run.
Clara didn’t wait. She dived back from the Land Rover as Howard spun round to the General. Gunfire sounded behind as she shifted back. She tried to shove on her clothes. Just as she got her top and pants on a hand pulled her out by the ankle. With quick thinking she grabbed the gun and got ready to fire. As her head appeared from under the Land Rover, she pulled the trigger and shot the Hunter that had dragged her out from under the car in the face. Jumping up to her feet, she walked round the car shooting at every hunter she caught in her sight. When her eyes landed on the General, she spied Howard on the ground bleeding. Her heart sunk.
“I should have expected you to change,” General McKenzie said, “Your relative had the same conviction to stay alive. But then she met me” he smiled coldly. He raised his gun. But his age, and time in the office rather on the field had slowed him down. Clara shot at him without aiming anywhere vital, as she rushed to Howard’s side. Natalie jumped forwards trying to block Clara from getting to Howard.
With no care, Clara slammed her fist home breaking Natalie’s nose and knocking her out cold. The General just looked in disgust at his granddaughter, before looking at Clara. A Gun fired in the distance and Clara screamed out.
“You were always emotional,” the General tutted, “It was your biggest downfall”.
“No it wasn’t,” Clara growled as her fangs descended, “It will be yours”. In a blink she shifted and launched herself at the General. Guns fired trying to catch her with bullets as she jumped back and forth at the General. Each time she delivered sharp deep bites to the old man. She backed off as the General fell to the floor, she sniffed the air and the smell of death was creeping in.
That smell called her to look at Howard. His face was pale. She let out a howl in remorse. For the first time, her call was answered.
Clara stilled and sniffed the air. The Pack. They were here. Her heart jumped in her chest. She couldn’t see them, but they were nearby. She had heard them. Another shot fired. She yelled out. Clara fell to the ground shaking. Her whole body felt cold. She watched in horror as her wolfen body was forced back into her human form.
“You are such a stupid bitch!” hissed Natalie, who held her grandfather’s gun. “You were meant to die on that mission!”
“What…” Clara coughed out.
“The Order was done with you!” Natalie yelled marching closer to Clara’s shaking naked form. “Now I’m going to finish the job”.
Clara closed her eyes waiting for the shot to come.
A rumbling growl sounded ahead of Clara. Peaking through her lashes she spied a collection of eight large male wolves. Natalie had turned around trying to work out who to aim at. Clara tried to push herself up off the floor a noticed that the other Hunters in the area were all on the ground with various types of injuries. While Natalie was distracted, Clara tried to shift back to wolf form. Her body wasn’t listening. Instead the only parts that appeared were her fangs and claws.
Caleb’s black wolf launched himself at Natalie while the others circled around.
“Come closer and I shoot her!” Yelled Natalie. That threat caused Caleb to stop. He growled as Natalie pointed the gun at Clara.
“You were never hunter material,” Clara said catching Natalie’s attention, “Did you hope to walk in granddaddy’s footsteps? Were you going to be the golden child?”
“You bitch!” Natalie yelled and fired. Clara fell back, pain scorched her upper body. Her claws dug into something soft, as the taste of blood slipped into her mouth.
With a roaring growl the wolves around her pouched on the slim hunter. Clara ignored the fighting and tried to get back up. Her body felt weak. She eyes her hands, that had dug into Howards leg when she was shot. Her eyes landed on a small cut just small distance away from the claw marks. Clara quickly checked herself. She could taste blood, but it wasn’t hers.
“Shit,” Clara murmured as she leaned closer into Howard and sniffed. The smell of death around him was fading, even though it lingered in the air from the other bodies around.
“Are you okay?” asked a voice, Clara felt in tune to. She looked up to see a naked Caleb kneeling by her.
“Fine, but I …” Clara answered,
“I can smell it,” Caleb replied, “But are you okay?” He asked again.
“I’m okay,” She gave a weak smile. Caleb brushed his fingers over her shoulder where she had been shot, before he leaned closer.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered to her before planting a kiss on her shoulder. Clara closed her eyes and relished the moment. Caleb scent surrounded her.
“We can’t leave him,” she replied.
“And we won’t,” Michael added in, catching her attention. Clara looked up to see all of the pack surrounding them.
“Come on, time to get you back home,” added in Edmund with a smile. For the first time, Clara didn’t feel afraid of the man.
&nb
sp; Chapter 9
Caleb stood at the base of the medical bed where he’s newest pack member lay unconscious. The small nick of Clara’s fang had been enough to change him. Caleb hadn’t tried to convince Clara to accept their mating bond, not when she had just changed her ex-boyfriend. Part of him, wished that the guy she called Howard had caught the fever during the change and died. That way, Clara would be all his. But instead the hunter had taken to the bite just like every other man bitten by a Lycan. He knew he’d have to accept the male into his pack, or risk Clara possibly leaving to follow him. Caleb sighed. He knew the bond was there between him and Clara’s wolves but how was he going to convince Clara to choose him when the man she had loved before was now the same species as herself.
Begrudgingly he left the basement and headed outside to the back garden. No one was out there expecting her. Clara turned her head and looked back at him from where she sat on the grass. Her smile met her eyes. Caleb couldn’t help but smile back, even though his mind was fixed on the fact she may not choose him.
“Come here,” Clara called. She patted the ground next to her when he didn’t move. Still Caleb stayed where he was just watching her. He didn’t want to get to close, in case it would just end up being memories. He watched as Clara stood up, brushed herself off and headed over to him.
His wolf begged him to meet her half way, but the human side wanted to back away. He wasn’t ready for a heart break. Clara marched over to him and didn’t stop until they were toe to toe.
“You’ve been avoiding me all week since we got back,” She said softly as she reached out to hold on to his hands with hers.
“I’ve just been busy sorting out loose ends,” He mumbled his reply.
“It has nothing to do with Howard?” She queried looking him dead in the eye. Their he saw the challenge. She wanted him to admit something. Her eyes shone golden trying to call to his wolf.
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