Chapter 3

HUNTER

I held my trembling mate in my arms, carrying her like a child to my suite. Her head lay on my shoulder, she had her eyes closed tightly, hands clasped together in her lap. She didn’t hold on to me and I felt worried. Didn’t she feel the mate bond? I wouldn’t want to take my hands off her.

I felt Blaze nudge forward in my mind.

“Hunter, I don’t sense her wolf. She isn’t human, but I can’t find her wolf. This is bad.”

I frowned, looking at her tense face. “Be patient, Blaze. I’m sure she is just hiding. Give it time. She doesn’t trust us.” It hurt us both to realize that, but given everything that happened tonight, I can’t really blame her. What a shit fest that was!

“We would never hurt her. I would rip anyone’s throat out if they so much as look at her.” Blaze paced around in my mind. He was restless and I knew he thought about killing Drake. It was only out of respect for Father that he didn’t do it on the spot.

I arrived at my suite on the second floor of the palace. Thank goddess the maids cleaned; everything was spotless. Carefully I placed Sylvia on my bed. She opened her beautiful blue eyes. My heart melted at the sight of them.

“Hey. You’re safe now, my Angel.” I moved towards her and she backpedaled on the bed until her back hit the backboard. This is not good, not at all. I lifted my hands in supplication. “Sylvia, I will never hurt you, love. Please, don’t be scared.” I spoke softly to her, slowly moving to the bed and sat down.

“Don’t you feel it? Our bond?” I asked, holding out my hand to her and hoping she would take it. My heart felt like it would break, seeing the fear and doubt on her face. “Please.”

She moved a little bit toward me. I held my breath. Carefully she placed her tiny hand in mine. As soon as we touched the sparks and energy that flowed through us made her gasp. It was glorious. I smiled like a fool. I couldn’t help myself.

“Hunter.” My name on her lips sounded like a magical symphony. She moved closer.

I longed to have her in my arms. The need to have her, mark her, make her mine completely was so strong. But I held back. I needed her to trust me, to give herself to me. Something was wrong and I had to find out what it was.

“Let me see you. I have waited so long to find you.” I cupped her face in my hands. She had the most gorgeous plump lips and cute button nose. I wanted to kiss every inch of her face. When I moved in, she pulled away. “What’s the matter, Sylvia?”

Blaze howled in my mind. He wanted to push through. I resisted.

“I’m so ugly.” she whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek.

“What? No! You are perfect. Beautiful. I never want to hear you say that again, my Angel.” I was shocked. How could she think that?

She turned her back to me. The dress was backless and then I saw it. Scars zigzagging all over her creamy back. I bit back an expletive. Rage coursed through my veins.

“Did that bastard Drake do this?” I will kill him, slowly. Blaze agreed. I touched her scars gently, some of them looked old. Why didn’t she heal?

She nodded. “He… hurt me badly.” Turning around she took one look at my face and screamed. Blaze had pushed through and I knew my eyes turned red.

“Sylvia, I won’t hurt you.” I tried to touch her but she jumped off the bed and backed off into a corner of my room.

“Your eyes, your eyes!” she cried. “Same as his.”

“I’m not him, Angel. My wolf Blaze is angry at him, not you. I will make him pay; I promise you. When I am done with him, he will regret being born.” I couldn’t stop my canines from elongating. I had to get out before I scare her even further.

I met my mother in the passage. I mind linked her before I left and she came immediately.

“Hunter, what’s wrong, my dear? You sounded so angry. What happened?” Myra, my mother had a way of calming people down. It was her special gift the Moon Goddess had endowed her with. Sylvia needed her more than she needed me right now.

“Mom, you’ve got to help me. Please speak to Sylvia and find out what that sonofabitch did to her. She is out of her mind with fear. I need to go for a run to calm Blaze.”

“Alright, leave it to me.” she beamed at me. She knocked once at my bedroom door and went inside.

Outside I shifted, leaving my boxer shorts by the rose bushes. Blaze lifted his head to the glowing moon and howled, long and sonorous. We ran along the outskirts of the forest, passing patrols who saluted us. Finally, we stopped at the lake where Blaze drank his fill. We rested on the bank for a while. We needed a plan to get rid of Drake. I had to speak to my Beta. But for now, I had to take care of Sylvia.

“I don’t want to stay away too long, Blaze.” I needed to speak with my mother and I needed to be with my mate.

“Hunter, you need to come home right away.” Mother mind linked me.

***

Mother waited for me in my lounge. By the look on her face, I knew the news was not good.

“How bad is it?”

She motioned for me to sit. I could hardly contain my impatience.

“Promise me you won’t do anything rash.” The grim set to her mouth had me on edge.

“Tell me!” I didn’t mean to use my Alpha command on my mother, but it happened.

“She’s been severally abused by Alpha Drake. In every way possible, Hunter. He is a monster. But this is something which has to be dealt with by the council.”

“Fuck the council! I will kill him myself!” Enraged I kicked the coffee table across the room. He touched my mate. Mine!

I was about to storm off when we heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from my bedroom.

“Sylvia!”