The Hunter

Chapter 10

I woke up with pain in my arm and legs. “you’re up” Gabriel said instantly by my side. I looked at him steadily. he looked terrible, his clothes were wrinkled, hair a mess, and he had bags under his eye

“what happened?” I said trying to sit up

“you were attacked”

“I know that, I mean after, where am I?” I said staring at the strange room I was in.

“we’re still in your old pack, you lost a lot of blood, it was a miracle you could stay upright during the attack. if you would have fainted, they would have had your throat” he said shrugging to get the last word out.

“well they didn’t, you were there,” I said trying to soothe his torment

“not soon enough. I should have kept you with me”

“no one expected that. I wanted to be alone there. I had to be”

He stared at me for a long time, as if assuring himself I was alright “I could have lost you. on pack land, on this pack land” he said standing up suddenly angry

“it wasn’t anyone's fault, not your or this pack, they were rogues. normally they don’t venture this far, it was like they were on a mission. I wish you didn’t kill all of them” I said pouting and crossing my arm

“they tried to kill you,” he sang around looking at me in disbelief

“and now we will never know why. The dead can't talk” I said.

“you are unbelievable. how about, thank you oh great enforcer for saving my life” he said making a bad imitation of me

“that was supposed to be me,” I said raising my eyebrow “fine thank you for saving my life.”

he stood there waiting for more but I kept my mouth shut. once I saw his shoulder relaxed I added “but you should have kept one of them alive” he threw his arms up in frustration.

He came back to sit by me, leaning in he gave me a quick peck on the lips “I’m sorry this happened” he grabbed my hands and held them in a firm grip, guilt written on his face. I was going to remind him again it was not his fault but was interrupted when the door opened.

“Voren,” I said pushing Gabriel away. he grumbled something that I couldn’t understand, but reluctantly move aside “child I can not believe this happened to you. at your own home”

“it okay Voren, I should have been more prepared”

“no child on pack lands you should not have to be so guarded”

“exactly,” Gabriel said “so where is your alpha? He has yet to come to see my mate,” he said with his authority voice “Gabriel stop,” I said sitting up, leaning on his arm “he send his regards, he figured you would rather see me than him” Voren indicated to me

“he was right how thoughtful. don’t worry about Gabriel” I said to Voren, trying to get this over with as soon as possible. “that is where you are the wrong darling” Gabriel said his voice coming out darker, his wolf was near the surface.

it made me snap my head to him. in what seemed like a second he went from the playful mate I was starting to like to the menacing warrior who won the enforcer title.

“you don’t have to worry about me. ” his canines were sticking out and very sharp, and his eye looked like they were ready for blood. “but he does. he very much does. Get your alpha and tell him I want a meeting in his office and I want it now”

Voren looked like he was about to be sick. It was a great unease for an alpha, even a farmer alpha, to take orders from anyone. It was in the DNA to lead not follow. but as the Enforcer Gabriel had the strength to make most wolves bend to his command and everyone in the room felt it. even I wanted to obey him, and I obey no one. “yes enforcer” Voren strained out before leaving.

His eyes went from the door where Voren went out to me. My breath caught, as his eye seem to turn red and his teeth were still evident “are you scared of me?” he said walking closer to me. I know wolves, I’ve been around them all my life, but this power that radiated off him felt like nothing I felt before.

“no,” I said defiantly staring straight at him. he smiled back. I saw something flicker across his face before he relax his normal posse. “well let go” he said

“are you going to be okay” he was worried, but again being part wolf had its advantages, I could heal quickly. I was sore but I wasn’t dying. “oh please I’m fine, I’m awesome.” I assured taking off the hospital gown and throwing on my clothes

“Okay I’m going to need you to stop getting naked in front of me unless you want me to take you now. I do not have iron strength woman” I felt a weird feeling in my stomach as he said that but I was not going to let him be aware of that.

“well deal with it man because I’m going to do what I want and when I want, so that can either be taking my clothes off and doing nothing or taking my clothes off a fucking you,” I said stomping away, leaving him open mouth.

we were in the alpha office waiting while also making fun of each other, I’m glad I was able to get him to calm down and avoid a shit show. I notice Voren was not in attendance and I did not blame him, apparently my mate has a temper issue.

Gabriel did not hesitate when Vahn came through the door. he grabbed him by his neck and slam him against the wall. Bess screamed in surprise.

“How the hell did my mate get an attack on your land?”

I was too shock to move. I mean I knew he was mad that I was attacked, I saw the way he was with Voren but this was more than mad. This was furious. It was Besse screams that brought me back to reality. I pushed her aside and grab Gabriel’s arm.

“Gabriel stop. It’s okay” he stared at me with red eyes again. I guess it was not okay

“it is not okay.” He confirmed before his attention was on a shrugging Vahn whose face was red and struggling to breathe. “listen here pup, I don’t care what she was to you before we came here. I don’t care that she was a half-human runt.”

Hey!!

“I don’t care that your pack did not like her. and I DON’T GIVE A FUCK that you wanted to disregard her. she is my mate! She is above you and she was attacked on your grounds. That disrespect to me on the most basic level. It’s kinda like me ripping your mate's throat out in front of you would be disrespect to you” he smiles murderously. and Besse scream.

holy shit. he was a different level pissed, Vahn face tried to say something, maybe scream, no one knew since Gabriel was blocking his airways with his hand

“okay Gabriel, that’s enough,” I said grabbing his arm again “I’m fine, everything is fine. I think we should let him go. you don’t want to kill an alpha” I said trying to get him to look at me.

It felt like an eternity before his glare move away from Vahn to me. He finally release him and Vahn dropped to the floor grabbing his neck and coughing. Besse ran to him putting her arm around him crying.

“I want a stronger border portal on this land. when I come back, and I will, I have better see a stronger defense. An alpha that can not protect his land is no alpha” he said before grabbing my arm and pulling me away.

I looked back at both of them “I’m sorry” I said before getting pulled out. that when I notice all of Vahn fighters in the hall up the stairs. Gabriel’s men holding them back. he defiantly planned this. Suddenly I was furious.

he plans to attack the alpha, great that all we need.

We got in the car and as I felt it pull off I decide to let him have it

“have you lost your damn mind. what the fuck was that? you attack an alpha” facing completely toward him, back on the door.

“and you apologize to one,” he said back, his voice in full enforcer mode, head staring out his window, not looking at me.

“yes because that was uncalled for”

“uncalled for?!” he said whipping his head at me, anger defiantly still there “you were attacked”

“so what? it not the first time, it is no big deal”

he started at me open mouth for a moment “it was no big deal. so you're saying your no big deal”

“I’m not worth making an enemy over,” I said logically. I mean what with this guy, he act like he was attacked.

“you're not worth…? you are worth everything. I would have gladly killed him especially if I didn’t come in time. Him and his bitch of a mate”

“you barely know me” I shout back

“no, you barely know you”

“excuse me”

“you disregard yourself”

“dis-regard myself” I laugh sarcastically

“yes”

“how”

“you will go toe to toe with me over only chocking him”

“only choking?”

“let me finish, you will spend a month in a damn dudgeon and almost die to prove a fucking point. a stupid point by the way. Hell, you threaten a guard to release someone you just met out of the dungeons” I looked at his surprise. “yeah I knew about that” he said narrowing his eyes. he was referring to Luka, It wasn’t like I was gonna let the guy rot in that fuck hole after being the only to look out for me duh.

“but you are directly disrespected and blatantly you say it's no big deal. its nothing. hey, I could have died who cares? who cares? Well, I guess you don’t” he shot back.

I open my mouth a couple of times trying to find the words but I had none. It was not like I didn’t care that I was attacked. I mean I fought like hell to stay alive didn’t I. but this wasn’t new, I was attacked my whole life, constantly on alert mode, trying to figure out which battle I should fight and which I should let go of. The only thing new about this situation was Gabriel and his protectiveness over me. I never had anyone act like he just did over me. It didn’t settle right. I didn’t need or want anyone to fight my battles, I hated that small part of me that was happy that he did. Happiness leads to disappointments and I didn’t need that. “just let it go” I said turning my head to my window. he said nothing in return

when we finally made it back to the house the sun was going down. He mumbled something about going to his office as I went upstairs. I deicide a nice hot shower would help wash all this discomfort away. As I got out and was putting on my clothes I heard a knock at my window; we stayed on the second floor. what the hell?. I opened it and saw Kal at the bottom

“what the hell” I called down

“Finally, I’ve been doing this for like twenty minutes. what are you, deft?” “I was in the shower, what are you doing here”

“come down we need to talk” I blew out a breath, slammed the window as I proceeded down stairs. I watched and made sure no one saw me before moving around back where I saw Kal waiting

“care to explain what the hell you're doing here?” I ask folding my arms and tapping my foot

“well I’m was here to run a hunting pass the enforcer”

“you saw Gabriel”

“Ohh Gabriel huh ” he said with a cocky smile “aren’t we getting close” he teased

“My fist is about to get close to your face if you don tell me what you want”

“fine, I'm really here to talk about business with you”

“with me?”

“the hunting I came for just got approved and I need your help”

“what going on, we don’t help each other,” I said confused, what was he up to.

Kal looked nervous “listen something has been going down for the last couple of weeks. It been job after job for hunters and some people are going out and not coming back,” he said seriously

“I don’t get it, we all the know the risk”

“Yeah but nothing like this. There have been 3 hunters dead”

“what?” we did a risky business, yes, but three dead in a couple of weeks that was unusual

“yeah and it doesn’t look alike a sloppy job, like when you in a fight, it precise like an experienced killer”

“you think someone picking us off”

“That was my first guess until I realized pack members are dying too. That is why we keep getting hired. It seems no one can find a rhyme or reason to it. No one can figure out the connection to all these dead bodies”

“the dead can't talk,” I said to myself

“What”

“These missions that everyone doing, its to hunt to kill right”

“hell yeah and even it was not I still would go for the kill. I went on one last week, it was like this wolf was on a mission. I had to kill him”

“you want a connection, we have to take one alive”

“I figure that out already which is why I need you. I need every experience hunter one this”

“I’m the enforcer mate now, no pack will hire me”

“I don’t need a pack to hire you. I’m running it. Any serious hunt comes to me first. What I need from you is if I hear something strange I may call and you may pick up. you in?”

“the enforcer will not like this is,” I said seriously, then a small smile crept across my face. “hell yeah I’m in”

he smiled back “Bodies, you never disappoint, ill see you soon,” he said before disappearing into the night.

I made my way back into the house and a person step right in my path “geeze Lisa you scared me” I said grabbing my chest

“easily spook that is not a good quality in a hunter,” she said looking skeptically at me “well my reputation proves itself. so you will excuse me” I said trying to step around her, but she block me. I ran my finger across my nose before looking up at her

“I have a feeling you want to talk to me about something”

“who were you with outside,” she said raising an eyebrow

“I’m sorry,” I said taking a step back and looking around “are we in an alternate universe, or are you still not my mother.”

“excuse me,” she said back not liking the answer, well she was going to love this one.

“I don’t owe you a fucking explanation” I declared trying to walk off again. she still step in my way “this is getting old”

“it’s a shame and disgrace to cheat on your mate,” she said matter of factly.

“wow. jumping much”

“what” she responded confuse

“to the conclusion, jumping to conclusion, geese. If your little life is so boring and you must know to get through your day then fine. that was an old friend, a hunter who just had a meeting with the enforcer. we were catching up” I said exasperated. “are you happy?”

“no, I’m not”

“well go see a therapist, drink a bottle of Absolut, I don’t know,” I said finally stepping around her and heading up the stares

“I want to you stay away from my son” she declared.

I turned around and narrowed my eyes “that what this is about? we kinda live in the same house so it’s not easy”

“it's a big house.” she stated “I heard about you training him with weapons ”

“he ask” I shrugged

“am I’m telling him no”

“Funny, I didn’t know you knew how to use weapons. oh, that right you don’t. he wants to learn then ill teach him and I am guessing your standing here all intimidating and such because you have already had this conversation with Evan and it didn't turn out as you excepted. so you come to me as your last resort” I said as I descended slowly down the stairs to her

“But I'm not your kid lady, I’m not part of your pack. hell, I'm nothing to you” I was only inches from her face now “you don't intimate me so do me a favor and shove it up to your tight ass” I finish before stepping away and heading up the start to leave her with her thought.