The only thing I could do was scream. And I planned on doing just that, but the warlock pressed his hand against my mouth before I could speak. He reeked of fungal decay.
I hated binding spells. No matter how many times I commanded my body to throw him off, to shake him away from me, I couldn’t move. It felt like every muscle in my body from the neck down was locked in a painful strain.
“Dangerous conditions out here, little wolf.”
Another shock went through my system. The binding spell recharged. I stiffed more. He took a step back to get a better look at me. His hair was a bland brown, a little too short. His nose was too sharp, and his eyes were cold.
“We need a wolf’s blood,” the second one said whose voice was raspy.
“Well she’s in a pack, she must be a wolf,” Cold eyes stated.
“But she’s not in wolf form.”
“I am sure we can force her into her wolf form, but if they find us they’ll kill us. The distraction will only work so long.”
My mind went wild at the idea of torture. Of being helpless. It wasn’t as easy as saying, hey I am not all wolf, I can’t shift. They wouldn’t believe me.
“There is something different about her though,” Raspy said.
Light footsteps approached. I strained my head. Cold eyes’ hold made it impossible to budge. One of his hands pressed too tight to the base of my skull, and the other was crushing my lips into silence.
Raspy moved a step closer to me. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. My skin crawled, but the binding spell zapped through me. I cringed.
“Wait a second,” Raspy whispered he moved in front so that he could see me, “Pull your hand away for a second.”
Mildew looked at him he like was crazy but did as he asked. When I looked at the green eyed warlock, I saw familiarity there. He was looking at me as if knew me. As if he was placing me somewhere, but I knew I had never see him before in my life. The warlock who had taken me all those years ago had muddy brown eyes.
“You look…”
A terrifying growl sounded behind us.
If I knew that it didn’t belong to a wolf in the pack I would have probably peed my pants. Instead I felt a sense of relief. The two warlocks looked at each other, and then the second one looked at me one more time before nodding to his friend. They shoved me backwards with one more shot of binding for good measure.
I met the ground abruptly. Painfully. I watched from the corner of my eye as a midnight black wolf with a shiny coat flew over me and tackled Mildew to the ground.
The wolf tore into the warlock’s neck viciously, throwing his head back. Blood splattered. I felt my stomach turn at the sight. I tried to turn away, but it was impossible. All I could do is shut my eyes. It was horrible. Even with my eyes closed, I could hear him lapping at blood. Bone crunched, and my mind conjured up the sight.
Soon enough, the noises stopped and a breath blew across my cheek. A wet nose touched mine and I opened my eyes. I couldn’t wipe away the tears that fell, but the wolf nestled his muzzle against my cheek and let out a deep, protective rumble.
He pulled away when Damien approached in wolf form. The black wolf stood in front of me, his head low, and growling. His ears were pinned back and I heard him snap his teeth. Damien growled back at him and moved around the wolf cautiously. Neither backed down for what seemed like five minutes. My body started to loosen a little, the tightening of my muscles becoming less.
Damien shifted, his eyes never left the black wolf. As the binding spell finally faded, my shoulder relaxed and dropped a little. It felt good to be able to move even that little. I realized that they weren’t just doing extra zaps as torture, it was their magic. It wasn’t strong enough. Almost ten minutes passed. Soon the spell was wearing off.
“Hunter, I got her. The other warlock is getting away. You have to catch him,” Damien tried to pacify the snarling at him again. It became obvious that Hunter wasn’t going to move from my side, so Damien stepped back and waited.
It took about another twenty minutes before the spell completely wore off. I was still stiff and sore, but unharmed. The cold had seeped into my blood, furthering my discomfort. Hunter stopped grumbling at Damien, but he didn’t change forms, and he didn’t move from his protective stance.
I made a groaning sound which drew both Damien and Hunter’s attention. Hunter moved quickly, still in his wolf form. He nosed my neck. I felt his breath, moist and warm.
“Hunter,” I whispered, moving closer.
The primal side of me needed this, needed to know he was close. He was safe. It wasn’t until I smelled the blood that coated his muzzle that my nausea returned. Damien cleared his throat, and Hunter turned to him snarling again.
“Hunter maybe it would best if you shifted.”
Damien allowed his power as an Alpha to slip into the command. I bowed my head in submission. I expected Hunter to the same and to do as he was commanded, but instead he continued to rumble a low growl. Hunter snapped his teeth one more time and shifted. I knew though without a doubt it wasn’t because Damien commanded him too.
Hunter’s eyes were still a little more wolf than man, though his body, and his lower bits in particular, were indeed fully man. I could feel the impulse to look down. I was in severe discomfort and, though tempted, I just did not to spoil something special seeing him naked in this way. I looked at his face though. It was dirty, and his mouth was coated in blood.
I swallowed, hard. I wasn’t squeamish about blood. I had seen Griffin after shifts and he wasn’t exactly a peaceful wolf. What bothered me was the fact that it was a warlock’s blood. That Hunter killed him without second thought. He saw a warlock, jumped, and killed.
There was more to his past, and it had to do with magic. How could ever tell him about my other half now? It would have to die within me, and I guess I’d have to be okay with that.
I would be okay. I could find happiness with Hunter. And if that meant forsaking a side of me I never wanted, I didn’t care.
Chapter 18 — Hate Runs Deeper Than Love
Jude had showed up a few minutes later with shorts for Damien and Hunter. They slipped their clothes on. Hunter helped me up and we headed back to the house. I didn’t want to seem weaker than I already looked in anyone’s eyes, so I pushed myself. I walked tall and upright. It was a painful. I wouldn’t want to repeat it again in that shape, but I made it. I personally wanted to get back to Hunter’s cabin wrap a very large blanket around myself and sit. Process what had just happened. The wolves had another idea. Damien led us back to his house. A crowd waited.
The twins and Jen were there and while I was grateful for their presence, but I didn’t like the rest of the pack, the members I barely knew, standing around watching me. Most of them looked worried, which was kind of them. But some of the she-wolves… they looked pleased. They looked at me like I was weak.
Hunter didn’t leave my side, and his hand never left my body. Whether he was holding my hand, or wrapping his arm around my waist, he was always touching me. I took comfort in that. Jen moved forward, toward where we were, but she didn’t come too close, seeing how on edge Hunter was, but silently asked if I was okay. I gave her a nod.
Damien called out commands, but I was so focused on the sitting down that I didn’t even hear him. I only wanted to rest. The stress of the night weighed on me. Hunter squeezed next to me and held me close. He didn’t seem to care at all that he was shirtless, and his face was still covered in dirt and blood. He sat uncaring with his pack members watching him. I felt uncomfortable, but I felt safe surrounded by the pack. Encircled in Hunter’s warmth, all I wanted was sleep.
I began to drift off. Everyone muttered their thoughts. I snuggled closer to the Hunter. I felt his lips press against my forehead. He shifted his posture as if to leave. I held onto his chest, my blunt nails biting into his skin. I didn’t think I would be able to open my eyes, but I managed to crack them open.
“Don’t leave me.”
His eyes were hard. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscle in his cheek ticked. His nostrils flared.
“Never.”
He swooped his head down and kissed me hard on the lips. It wasn’t tender. His lips were fierce. It was a reminder and a promise. My eyelids slid shut. Hunter didn’t pull away when he lifted me in his arms, but it jostled me enough and my eyes popped open of their own accord. I wrapped my arms around his neck. I shut my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder. I was on the cusp of sleep. I dozed as he took me back to his cabin.
We arrived at the cabin, and I hardly remembered the walk there. Hunter walked down the hallway toward the bedrooms. He hesitated as we were about to pass his room.
“Please don’t leave me alone.”
I looked up at Hunter. The dark hair on his cheeks and chin seemed to have grown. His scruff looked like a beard. His eyes darkened, but not with desire. With anger. Hunter moved into his room and placed me on the bed. He disappeared into one of the adjoining rooms. I heard water. He was rinsing off the violence of the evening.
I fell asleep again.
****
“Colette, it’s just a dream,” a sweet voice whispered. I was pulled back toward consciousness. “Come on, Colette.”
My eyes blinked open. Hunter was lying next to me. I felt his arm draped over my side, and my leg tucked between his.
“Hey,” I whispered, my head pounding.
My muscles were still stiff. It was a little painful, but it was a lot better than it could have been. Hunter moved forward and rested his chin on top of my head. I cuddled close, feeling safe.
We laid that like that for a very long time. Silence was our company. It was peaceful. I was more awake than usual that morning.
“Would you tell me something about yourself?”
He was still shirtless and his heat comforted, like usual. I had slept with Griffin shirtless many of times, but this felt different. This felt more intimate. It caused my heart to practically pound out of my chest. My lips brushed against his skin. I felt him shiver.
“What would you like me to tell you?” he asked, pulling me a little closer. I shut my eyes. A feeling of contentment filled me up.
“Tell me about your parents,” I said.
It so quiet that I wasn’t sure he would actually be able to hear me. And when he didn’t speak for another five minutes I was certain he hadn’t.
“My mother was killed when I was five years old. I don’t really remember much about her. Except that I loved her,” Hunter’s voice was quiet and he seemed far away. “She was killed by a warlock. My father became unstable afterwards, and raised me for six years as a rogue. Where it’s difficult for others to control their wolves, sometimes it’s impossible for me.”
Hunter’s story was short and to the point. I wasn’t expecting him to be so forthcoming, and my tears surprised me. My stomach roiled. Part of me screamed to jump from the bed and run away from him. Not only was I certain there was no way he could ever love me because of my witch blood, but he was raised by a rogue. A wolf raised and cared by a rogue, which meant there was a strong chance he would be one as well. One day he might decide pack life wasn’t for him and he’d leave.
Hunter could never know about my other side. If he did, there was no way he would be able to love me. My heart stopped when told me about his mother. Hunter was right when he said that the creator had a sick sense of humor.
The creator had put him, a were, more wolf than man, and I, an unholy fusion, together. A wolf who had been scarred by a warlock and raised by a rogue. And me, a half witch who was also scarred by a rogue. I did the only thing I could think to do. I kissed him softly and fell back to a fitful sleep. This time my nightmares were different.
The warlock wasn’t coming for me.
Hunter was.
****
I knew that this would come. I knew that it was bound to happen, but last night was different. Hunter and I spent the night together, and while we didn’t have sex, it was the most inmate we had been since I had arrived at the cabin. From that experience, I’d say there was a good chance that I would sleep best in his arms.
But Hunter was going to leave. I shifted in my seat as they continued to talk about it. I knew it was going to happen. He wasn’t going to let a threat like that go. That warlock was dead. Damien was demanding that he go. And Hunter had promised me he’d bring the man to justice. But it didn’t make me any happier.
“If we leave now we might be able to catch his scent. I’ll take my normal team,” Hunter said to Damien. Damien was arguing with Hunter. He wanted him to take different people, wolves I wasn’t as familiar with.
“Hunter you need to learn to command others,” Damien looked at me for a moment, “You’ll be this pack’s Alpha one day.”
Hunter stood tall and watched Damien with cold, calculated eyes. His fist had tightened and I could see the muscles straining in his forearms.
“I will be taking Jude, Billy, and Jameson. It is my team. They attacked my mate,” Hunter stated and turned to me. “Colette will be staying here with you.”
My breath caught in my throat. We hadn’t talked about that. He didn’t even ask if I wanted that. And I didn’t. I felt at home in Hunter’s place, I felt like I didn’t belong in this house, in Damien’s House. I didn’t like being here and I didn’t want to be stuck with Damien as company for however long Hunter was going to be away.
“I think that is my decision to make. I’d prefer staying at your cabin, if that’s alright,” I answered, unfolding my legs. I stood up as tall as I could and glared at Hunter.
“You’re not,” Hunter stared down at me.
“I am.”
“I will not have you in that cabin, alone and unprotected,” Hunter snarled.
“I will not have you think I am completely defenseless. I want to stay at the cabin.”
Before Hunter could answer Damien stepped forward drawing our attention. He looked between us and I noticed the glint in his eye. He had figured something out. I could tell. And whatever it was, I had a bad feeling about it.
“I will allow Hunter to take the team of his choosing if you stay here Colette. But Colette if you refuse to stay here then Hunter will not be going at all.”
The world, at least my world, stopped right there. I looked at the Alpha of that pack. I was sure to join them one day. I would only fully, truly belong here if I accepted Hunter as my mate completely. But this wasn’t fair. I knew how important this was for Hunter. He wasn’t only doing this because he hated warlocks. I was sure he was doing it because they had attacked me. They had targeted his mate.
I was more than certain his wolf was dying to tear into that other warlock. He had torn out the throat of the other attacker without a second thought. The memory of the gruesome attack still lingered in my head.
I peeked over at Hunter, he had his arms crossed over his chest. I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure who he was pissed at. Me or Damien. Me for fighting with him in the first place. Or Damien for threatening his mission. Either way I knew my answer. It would be cruel of me to do anything else.
“I’ll stay here.”
I didn’t wait to see what would happen. I left the room and headed for the kitchen. I would stop by Hunter’s cabin and collect some of my things, taking back my room in Damien’s house. I didn’t know what Damien’s plan was. I wasn’t sure if he thought I would be stubborn enough to refuse to let Hunter go. Was he trying to “figure” me out by keeping me close?
I didn’t know why, but in my gut I knew I couldn’t trust Damien. I thought back to those times he lost his temper in his office. No matter how good an Alpha he was to his pack, I was still not his pack. I belonged solely to Hunter. I had just begun myself to realize how much he meant to me. I wouldn’t say that I was in love with him, but I did feel something. Something I was willing to explore, even if it burned me.
Hunter didn’t follow me, even though I was expecting him to. I got back to the cabin on
my own and I considered for the first time blatantly breaking my promise to Hunter about not contacting Griffin. I would be doing it all for the wrong reasons. I was mad and frustrated. Calling Griffin just to talk out my problems didn’t seem fair, since I wouldn’t talk to Hunter about them. I was sure that even as stubborn as Hunter was, he would have let me stay in the cabin. Maybe not even if I had got someone else stay with me.
In the end, I was mad at Damien. He was planning something, and I didn’t know what it was and that scared me. I had so much that I needed to hide, at this point I wished that I had never known.
****
I arrived back to the empty cabin. My original thought was to gather my things and head out. I passed through the living room down the hallway to the bedrooms. I walked by Hunter’s room only to stop a few feet away. I backtracked and pushed Hunter’s cracked door open. I turned, looking down the hallway and back to his bedroom. I slipped in without really thinking of the consequences.
I snuck through his room. I didn’t want to linger long. I headed to his dresser. I moved quickly through his drawers finding one of his shirts. Hunter didn’t wear a lot of different colors. The widest range I had seen, since meeting him, was gray, black and dark blue. There was one gray shirt on which his scent was the thickest. I grabbed it and held it close. My wolf moved forward as if taking in the scent herself. I snatched the shirt and headed out of his room.
An hour or so later Hunter showed up at the cabin. He waited outside of my bedroom door. I looked up at him. He had a bag strapped over his shoulder and I knew that he ready. I suppose I was as well. I was hoping that I could stay in the cabin for the rest of the day, get in my few moments of peace.
“You took one of my shirts,” Hunter said, watching me with his curious yellow eyes. I smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders.
“I like your scent.”
Hexed Hearts Page 20
